The Rialto 1926

Donald Shaw MacLaughlan made this image of the Rialto bridge, probably sometime in the early 20th century, using etching. Can you imagine the commitment to that process? The cross-hatched lines, all those tiny marks, it’s as if MacLaughlan is building the image from scratch. It’s a labor of love, turning this famous landmark into something intimate, something handmade. It’s not just about seeing Venice, but feeling it through his fingertips. I'm picturing him working on this plate, maybe reworking it over and over again, layering lines to capture the light on the water and the weight of that bridge, and the feeling of the people going by. It reminds me that, as artists, we’re all in this big conversation together, borrowing and responding across time, inspiring each other. It’s like he's saying, "Here's my Venice," but also, "Here's how I see the world, one line at a time." And it’s all up for grabs, there’s no correct or incorrect way to read it.