Abstract
Emma Chambers's An Indolent and Blundering Art? is a tour de force of detail and documentation that traces the position of etching in Victorian England. It focuses on the activities of two organizations, first the Etching Club and later the Society of Painter-Etchers (SPE). Surrounding these, Chambers locates several issues that provide the context for the revival and redefinition of etching mentioned in her subtitle. Some of these issues involve the social, professional, and gender perceptions of etching and engraving. Others revolve around patronage, collecting, and sales (private subscriptions versus public exhibitions). Perhaps most basic is the effort to raise (or return) etching to the status of a fine art, equal to painting. If there is a hero who emerges from this tale, it is the founder of the SPE, Francis Seymour Haden, etcher, physician, and brother-in-law of James Whistler.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
