The Dean Bridge, Edinburgh 1904

James McBey made this etching of The Dean Bridge in Edinburgh with a real sense of immediacy. It's all about mark-making, with these tiny hatched lines creating areas of light and dark, almost like a visual shorthand. What strikes me is how McBey uses texture. The bridge itself is solid, rendered with dense cross-hatching, while the sky beyond feels lighter. Look at the group of figures in the foreground; they're just suggestions, scribbled in with a few quick lines. I'm drawn to the reflection in the lower-left corner. It's so minimal, just a few squiggles, but it suggests depth and movement. The whole thing feels like a fleeting impression, a moment captured in time. It reminds me a little of Whistler's etchings, especially in the way he captures the atmosphere of a place with such economy of means. It shows you that art is an ongoing conversation.