Landscape, Poigny 1907

Donald Shaw MacLaughlan created this print, Landscape, Poigny, using etching on paper. The scene is anchored by groupings of trees, rendered with a density of fine lines which gives the composition a balanced structure and a sense of depth. The use of etching allows for a high level of detail, creating a tapestry of textures that invite close inspection. MacLaughlan's work is concerned less with capturing a specific location than with exploring the formal possibilities of line and tone. The landscape is built from a vocabulary of marks which, when combined, evoke a coherent scene. This approach aligns with the broader artistic concerns of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, where artists increasingly focused on the intrinsic qualities of their medium. Consider how MacLaughlan transforms the natural world into a series of carefully constructed marks. This emphasizes the artificiality of representation and invites us to think about the relationship between perception, artistic creation, and the world.