Ebbesfleet 1912

This etching, Ebbesfleet, was made by James McBey using a printmaking press. I imagine McBey carefully coating a metal plate with a waxy ground, drawing through it with a sharp needle to expose the metal, then dipping it in acid. It’s a patient process, full of anticipation. The finished print is like a memory. Those trees on the left feel ancient, their shapes almost blurring into each other. And then there are the sheep, dotted across the landscape like thoughts. See how the light seems to dissolve the scene, the horizon fading into the sky? I can almost feel the cool, damp air. McBey was known for his landscapes, and this one is classic. But what I love is how he captures a sense of stillness, as if time itself is holding its breath. It reminds you that every artist is building on what came before, finding their own way to say something true.