Albumen print

I have recently completed a drawing/painting inspired by tones, depth, order, content and maps of the initial Toronto settlement and grid. The dependence and turn to the Don River and the Don Valley is quite obvious in this drawing. Most importantly, observing many paintings and maps, I was struck and inspired instantly when finding this particular print.

The print  (here below) is one depicting the casual meeting at the Government House. The setting is massive in scale, the beautiful trees and open lawns bring us to a different world in Toronto,  with a sensuous sense of space, luxury I could say, and calm.  Hard to image this former King Street.

The Albumen print, also known as albumen silver print, used the albumen found in egg whites to bind the photographic chemicals to the paper and became the dominant form of photographic positives from 1855 to the turn of the 20th century.

The Gallica site has a wonderful description of its origins.

Inspiration photograph, Government House (1815-1860), Simcoe St., s.w. cor. King St. W., Toronto, Ont. Armstrong, Beere and Hime, Toronto Picture, 1858, English

The space in the drawing is precisely what we have a hard time imagining in our intensifying, dense, city. Here is a detail of the grid within the painting, where the town would have rooted, inspired by materials, textures, and the depth of this photograph.

in progress, watercolour, ink and graphite, 2016

in progress, detail, watercolour, ink and graphite

Inspiration drawing and reference, Garrison reserve and town of York. Unknown Map, 1816