Skyline c. 20th century

Editor: We're looking at Hugh Botts' print, "Skyline." The lack of a date makes me wonder if he was trying to capture an ideal, timeless vision of the industrial city. What’s your take on this image? Curator: It seems Botts is deliberately engaging with the romanticized view of urban progress common in the early 20th century. The dense composition, full of smokestacks and looming buildings, presents industry as both powerful and somewhat overwhelming. What do you make of the figures in the foreground? Editor: They look dwarfed by the scale of everything. Maybe Botts is commenting on how individuals are affected by industrialization. Curator: Precisely. Consider how prints like this circulated, shaping public perception of modernity. Thanks for pointing out how scale contributes to the narrative! Editor: It’s interesting to think about art not just as an object but as a tool of social commentary.