St. Mark's Doorway, Venice 1927

Louis Conrad Rosenberg made this etching, St. Mark’s Doorway, Venice, using delicate lines to capture the ornate facade. Look at how the architecture of the doorway is softened by the subtle gradations of light and shadow. I can imagine Rosenberg standing there, squinting in the Venetian sun, trying to capture every detail of the building, the way the stone is carved, the weight of history pressing down. What kind of ink did he use to give it that almost silver, sepia tone? It’s amazing how he translated three dimensions into two, creating depth with so few marks. For me, there’s something kind of melancholy about the solitary figure standing before the doorway. Are they about to enter, or are they just pausing, contemplating what lies beyond? Maybe Rosenberg was asking himself the same question. I feel like it's not so different from the questions I ask when I am standing in front of my canvas.