Waterton Ferry, Ellon 1905

James McBey made this small print, Waterton Ferry, Ellon, with ink on paper. It’s all about mark-making; you can almost feel him scratching away at the plate to make the image. Look at the dark, velvety blacks of the trees reflecting in the water. The texture is incredible, built up from thousands of tiny lines. It’s like he’s not just describing a scene, but also the feeling of being there, in that quiet, almost brooding landscape. And then there's the swan; this small patch of white, it feels so calm. I love how McBey captures the light reflecting on the water with these subtle variations in tone. Turner comes to mind, with his atmospheric landscapes, but McBey has a different sensibility – more intimate, maybe. To me, this print feels like a conversation with the Old Masters but speaking in his own, quiet voice.