The Fishmarket, Stonehaven 1913 - 1915

James McBey made this etching, called "The Fishmarket, Stonehaven", using a plate and acid, wiping away ink to create this bright scene. I can almost feel the cool air coming off the sea as I look at it. You get the sense that McBey wasn’t trying to capture every detail, but instead focused on the overall feeling of the place. He’s part of a long tradition of artists drawn to the coast. I wonder if he was thinking of Whistler, or maybe even Japanese prints, with their sparse lines. Look at how he uses those thin, scratchy lines to define the figures, the boats, and the horizon. They create a sense of movement, like everything is slightly in motion. You can sense the hustle and bustle of the fish market, the wind in the sails. And yet, there’s also a stillness to the scene, a quietness that invites you to contemplate the moment. It makes you wonder, what were the people in the scene thinking? What kind of day were they having? I love how paintings can do that, give you just enough information to let your imagination run wild.