Bait Gatherers c. 1939

Albert James Webb made this etching titled Bait Gatherers, using ink on paper. The approach to mark-making here is all about building up tone with many tiny lines, you can see how Webb has drawn these tightly together to create depth. The sky has been given a real weight through the physical application of the ink, the lines almost seem to scratch at the surface. The gathering figures are much more lightly rendered, and from a distance, they merge into the landscape. Looking closer, the figures begin to detach themselves from the background, becoming individual agents in the scene. I’m reminded of Whistler's etchings, and perhaps also the landscapes of Samuel Palmer. But whereas Whistler feels quite modern, and Palmer feels antique, Webb is somewhere in between. Ultimately, this piece reminds us that all art is just one big conversation.