Untitled (Two Yachts Racing) c. 1935

Earl Horter’s etching, “Untitled (Two Yachts Racing),” captures the thrill of a boat race with a silvery, almost ghostly light. Imagine Horter bent over the plate, carefully drawing lines to suggest the wind’s force on the sails, the yachts tilting, cutting through the water. You know, there's a real physicality to this kind of work. The artist uses the needle to create an image but it also becomes a record of the body's movement across a surface, translating something seen into something felt, right? I wonder if he ever raced himself? Each mark is so deliberate, but together they create this sense of fluid motion. You can feel the competitive spirit, the push and pull between the boats, the moment of almost weightless freedom. It reminds me of Whistler, but with a more American, industrial edge.