The Skylark 1912

James McBey created this etching of a rural scene called ‘The Skylark’. It shows a thatched building and some cows, set within a wide open landscape. McBey was a master of etching and drypoint in Britain, and here he demonstrates the traditions of landscape art. There is a strong contrast between the dark foreground and light background, the details are fine and regular, and the image is clearly intended for aesthetic appreciation. It does not obviously address the social structures of its time, but this is where the historian has to dig a bit deeper. What was the role of landscape art in British culture in the early 20th century? What was the status of rural life at this time? Was it an ideal to be preserved, or an economic reality to be reformed? Researching the institutional histories of art and the social conditions of the time can help us to understand the meanings of images like this one.