Saint Olave's, Crutched Friars 1914

Henry Rushbury created this etching, "Saint Olave's, Crutched Friars," using a metal plate and strong acid. It shows the demolition of the medieval church of St. Olave's in London to make way for a new office building. Notice how Rushbury's lines capture the stark contrast between the church tower in the background, with its solid and elaborate stonework, and the deep pit being dug in the foreground. The rough edges and tonal variations created by the acid etching emphasize the chaos of a construction site, filled with labourers, raw materials, and heavy machinery. The print immortalizes not only a lost landmark, but also the human labor that transformed London's landscape, reflecting the social costs of progress. It reminds us that art can reveal the impact of industrial processes and urban development on communities, inviting us to consider the stories behind the buildings we inhabit.