RSA Scottish Art

The Evening Walk, Princes Street

Small web image of The Evening Walk, Princes Street Artist: John Kay
Title: The Evening Walk, Princes Street
Year: 1788
Medium: etching with hand colouring on paper
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Source: RSA
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Description: In 1837 a fully illustrated descriptive catalogue of 356 of etchings was published under the title A Series of Original Portraits and Caricature Etchings by John Kay. It opens a window onto everyday life in Edinburgh in the 18th century.Here Kay presents a view of the fashionable citizens of 1788 parading along one of the newest streets in Edinburgh. Their clothes represent the fashion of the day, yet Kay has exaggerated the outlines of the figures (and especially the women's hats) to give a hint of caricature. A popular way of recording likenesses in the 18th century was through profile silhouettes and here Kay uses profiles to good effect. This image could be viewed in several ways. The figures look quite dignified as they stroll along the street; however, this view of two couples politely ignoring one another could also be poking fun at the customs and manners of the upper classes.The etching process has allowed Kay a full range of tones from near-black to near-white and an incredible amount of detail. He has used some elements of caricature, such as emphasising the size of the men's bellies, making the feet look very small, and making fun of the stiff way of walking. The details, such as buttons and lace, are quite carefully rendered. But the main emphasis is on the portrayal of the fashions, characteristics and features of the people.The composition is a simple but effective one. The figures are moving from left to right, and are placed at different distances from the viewer to give some depth to the image. A comical feature is the way the heads are placed at gradually decreasing heights. Although Kay is not vicious towards these subjects, the very stilted and rigid view of an activity which is meant to be relaxing adds to the sense of these figures being slightly ridiculous.