The Mountain Stream n.d.

Curator: The light in this engraving is so atmospheric—almost dreamlike, wouldn't you say? Editor: A perfect picture postcard of colonial fantasies, perhaps. I see resource extraction hiding behind a shimmering, paradisiacal scene. Curator: Ah, you always bring things back to the practicalities, don't you? This is "The Mountain Stream," made by George Baxter sometime during his career—a fascinating blend of drawing, printmaking, and engraving, all on paper. It's as if he bottled a feeling, a memory. Editor: All done at an industrial scale, remember. Baxter perfected a method of colour printing using woodblocks and oil-based inks to reproduce images quickly and relatively cheaply. So this idealized “Mountain Stream” comes at the end of a fairly rigorous manufacturing process. Look at the texture! Curator: The density is amazing. I get utterly lost in the lush details – those feathery palm fronds, the light on the water... there's an undeniable romantic pull. The artist used vibrant colors – this little Eden practically vibrates off the paper. I imagine, perhaps naively, Baxter dreamt of places far removed from grimy London... places brimming with possibilities, untouched. Editor: Untouched is certainly one word for it. The figures are so posed – seemingly ready for the tourist's gaze. What does their placement actually contribute to the "Mountain Stream"? And what materials went into their clothing? Look at those rich blues. Curator: It invites the viewer in, doesn’t it? But what gets me, beyond the process itself, is the suggestion. I wonder what drove his decision to combine these different practices – was it simply efficient or did he see that these multiple perspectives and styles together created something that couldn't be described only one way? The way it is all on the page; it really allows him to manipulate texture so effectively. Editor: Perhaps his audience craved some kind of believable escape—and his unique processes allowed them mass produced fantasies? Anyway, it's made me want to see how those blues were achieved, or what a microanalysis might reveal... Curator: It reminds me, though, of a personal quest for peace, however ironically packaged. The artist offers this invitation... well, it certainly invites contemplation. Editor: Contemplation on the processes and consumption underlying our most idyllic projections.