Label Type
Cultural/Historical ContextLabel
"Alfred Louis Brunet-Debaines was born in 1845 and died around 1935. After studying architecture at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts in Paris, Brunet-Debaines became interested in etching and engraving and took lessons from Maxime Laianne, Charles Normand, Jules Jacquemart, and Leon Gaucherel. He later sent many of his etchings to the Salon. This etching of The Queen’s Entry, Edinburgh, 1876 is typical of the artist’s oeuvre. This particular print shows Brunet-Debaines’ mastery of etching.
This print depicts a street crowd celebrating Queen Victoria’s arrival in the Scottish capital. The Royal Titles Act of 1876, an act of the British Parliament, officially recognized Queen Victoria as “Empress of India.” One can assume the celebration of the Queen’s arrival had something to do with her new royal title. Many citizens of Edinburgh visibly enjoy a change in their everyday routine, sunning themselves in the Princes Street Gardens, riding the railway, and reading the newspaper. This happy scene is portrayed accurately with several contemporary features, including dress typical of the later 19th century. Men wear coats with long tails, and women wear narrow bodices with long straight skirts. The monument in the left foreground of the print is the Dome, built in 1847 as the head office of the Commercial Bank of Scotland and designed by David Rhind. The etching combines the chiaroscuro technique of light and shadow contrasts with the use of hatching lines. Deep grooves in the etching plate enhanced the rendering of the figures and background. The Impressionist movement in Europe from the 1860s to 1890s influenced the style of this print in its use of broken lines to suggest form.
Brittney Markel "