Potter's Bow 1924

F.L. Griggs made this etching, ‘Potter’s Bow’, in England, at a time when many artists looked to the past to critique the present. The print depicts a medieval bridge and cathedral with a high level of detail and romantic sensibility. The buildings and figures seem to belong to a distant historical era, yet their placement and the viewer's perspective create a dreamlike space. Griggs was part of a broader artistic and cultural movement that lamented the loss of traditional craftsmanship and rural life due to industrialization. Griggs was deeply influenced by the Arts and Crafts movement, a design movement that rejected industrial production in favor of handmade goods. Artists and critics involved in this movement wanted to return art to its traditional social role. Further research into the Arts and Crafts movement, the history of etching techniques, and the cultural context of early 20th-century England helps us understand the cultural meanings of this artwork.