Harlech Castle, Wales c. 1934

George Elbert Burr made this print of Harlech Castle in Wales using etching. Etching is like drawing with acid, and in this print, Burr really embraced the possibilities of the medium. Look how the lines build up to create different tones. The castle itself is a mass of tiny marks, a tight weave of lines that suggest the rough texture of the stone, while the distant hills are barely there, just a few light strokes. Notice the way the marks create the shadows, giving the whole scene depth and volume. For me, it's all about the surface. The etching feels almost sculptural, like a low relief carving. Burr is playing with the idea of representation, but he's also celebrating the physicality of the medium, like Manet maybe, thinking about what painting is.