Dunfermline n.d.

John Clerk of Eldin created this print of Dunfermline, using etching, a printmaking technique, sometime in the 18th century. This landscape presents an image of the Scottish town dominated by its historic abbey. At this time, country house culture in Britain was thriving, with many estates undergoing redesign. Views of ancient monuments were fashionable, connecting families to a deep national past. But the picturesque aesthetic also involved real social change, as the labouring poor were displaced from the grounds of great houses. Note the figures gathered by the roadside, possibly a family of itinerant workers. Are they resting, or have they been moved on? To understand this print better, it's important to research the institutions that shaped taste in 18th-century Britain, like the Society of Antiquaries, or the Royal Academy. By studying such archives, we can better understand how artists helped to forge a sense of national identity.