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Overview
D.Y. Cameron was a successful painter and a very influential etcher. He studied at the Glasgow School of Art before joining life classes at the Royal Scottish Academy. His work was acclaimed in Edinburgh, London, Berlin and Munich. During the First World War, Cameron was appointed official war artist to the Canadian government and in 1933 was made the King's Painter in Scotland. Cameron was highly sought after by collectors until the Great Crash of 1929 brought a collapse in prices for prints in general. Despite his excellence as a printmaker, his work still remains underrated both in art historical and market terms.
Strong tonal contrasts characterise his prints and his stark and dramatic paintings, which are mainly landscapes and cityscapes. His prints often feature areas of great darkness, offset by highlights. Cameron’s etchings are notable for their use of drypoint, a skill that he had mastered over his years of production. This is particularly evident in his studies of church interiors and Scottish landscapes, as here.
This print is among the last landscapes that Cameron made, and it shows a panoramic view of Tantallon Castle sitting at the shores of the Firth of Forth. The castle was built by William Douglas, 1st Earl of Douglas, in about 1350. It was the scene of many battles over the centuries. In 1651 Oliver Cromwell sent an army to attack the castle, and after twelve days of bombardment much of it was destroyed. The castle was then abandoned as a fortress and residence. Cameron’s portrayal of the castle is rather evocative of its history, the sharp contrast between shadow and light bringing attention to its picturesque, ruined state.
Sources:
Arthur M. Hind, The Etchings of D.Y. Cameron (London; Halton and Truscott Smith, 1924)
National Galleries Scotland, https://www.nationalgalleries.org/art-and-artists/artists/sir-david-young-cameron
https://www.nationalgalleries.org/art-and-artists/30995/tantallon
Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Young_Cameron
Dr Mark Stocker Curator, Historical International Art December 2017