Berwick-on-Tweed 1906

This is Berwick-on-Tweed by David Young Cameron, and it looks like it was made with etching, which is a printmaking process using acid to cut into a metal plate. The whole thing feels ghostly and spare. Look at how much empty space there is, and how little is described. The way the marks are made in such a linear way gives the impression that the artist is almost caressing the surface of the plate, as if wanting to coax the image out. There’s this area, right at the bottom, where there’s a build-up of dark ink, and you can almost feel the artist pressing down. It gives the whole piece a weight, anchoring the ethereal scene above. I'm reminded of Whistler, especially in the tonal qualities and the focus on atmosphere and mood, but it’s also just Cameron's voice coming through, someone who really knew the power of suggestion in art. It's like he's saying that sometimes, what you leave out is just as important as what you put in.