Empire and the City: Early Films of London

Charles Ginner painted Piccadilly Circus in 1912, but urban landmarks were normally avoided by the Camden Town Group artists. Nevetheless, the modernity of the imperial city equally emerges from films of its landmarks and from paintings of an urban experience that was less concerned with imperial iconography, and instead with interiors, suburban streets and gardens.

By comparing the subjects of early films and the paintings of the Camden Town Group of impressionist artists, this articles argues for a shift in focus in the study of early cinema and the city. So far the focus has primarily been on the modernity of the medium and seldom on the imperial forces which shaped cinema and were represented in films. This articles aims to fill a gap in current understanding.