The Cypress Grove 1904

Curator: Look closely at Donald Shaw MacLaughlan's 1904 etching, "The Cypress Grove," here at the Art Institute of Chicago. Editor: What strikes me is the intense layering of lines. You can almost feel the texture of the paper through it all; the material speaks strongly here. Curator: Cypress trees have long stood as symbols of mourning, even immortality—linking the earthly realm to the divine in some cultures. Do you sense any of that solemnity, or perhaps an aspiration beyond our material constraints? Editor: I’m more interested in the tangible process, how he achieves the visual complexity using the simple labor of etching lines. The print is beautiful and interesting, even without the symbolic interpretation. Look how dense some of those marks are, it looks like the physical act of etching this must have taken serious dedication. Curator: It’s true, MacLaughlan clearly delighted in the technique itself. The etching process, and particularly the intense crosshatching he uses, creates a strong visual field but may also reflect a deeper contemplation of nature’s layered meanings. These groves often mark sacred places, crossroads of memory and anticipation. Editor: You're right, there's definitely a deliberate control exhibited here, and the result offers more than a basic image of trees. To focus on only the symbolic meaning of Cypress trees runs the risk of overlooking the artistry involved in producing this image using simple materials and laborious work. Curator: Perhaps the artist seeks to find the sacred *in* the everyday material—lifting common scenes into studies of deep, universal significance. He creates something resonant and permanent from the fragile substance of the printed line. Editor: Well, whether spiritual or material, there's no denying it makes for a powerfully evocative print. It's an image that clearly demands your attention to its composition as well as materials.