Interior of Durham Cathedral, By 1920

Sir D.Y. Cameron RA (1865 - 1945)

RA Collection: Art

Cameron was initially best known as an etcher and his architectural subjects and landscapes were at the forefront of the British etching revival between 1880 and 1930. He was a great traveler and in 1892 visited Holland where he was particularly impressed by the Maris brothers’ evocative landscapes and church

interiors.

This view along an aisle of Durham Cathedral is typical of the series of architectural subjects which Cameron had started painting around 1916. The painting is characterized by its simple design and atmospheric tone which seems to convey not only the beauty but also the quintessential spirit of the building. The influence of the work of the Maris brothers can be seen through the dramatic light, which divides the painting into solid blocks of colour, while the precisely recorded linear detail on the pillars is more indicative of Cameron’s work as an etcher.