Gerona 1921 - 1923

James McBey’s ‘Gerona’ is a landscape rendered in the delicate medium of etching, a symphony of thin lines composing a Spanish cityscape. See how the architecture and human figures are described with the barest of marks, almost as if McBey is suggesting, rather than dictating, form. This lightness of touch extends across the whole picture plane, unifying it. Take a look at the twin towers of the cathedral which dominate the skyline. The marks here are so light that the towers almost dissolve into the background, creating an ethereal effect. The entire scene feels like a memory, fading even as we grasp at it. There’s a feeling that McBey knew Whistler and appreciated how he made pictures that seemed to emerge from mist. Yet, there’s also a specificity in McBey’s eye, an attention to detail which grounds the dreamlike quality. Like much art, it's a study in contrasts.