Bathers-in-the-Hudson 1941

Reginald Marsh made this etching, Bathers-in-the-Hudson, at an undetermined date, using black ink on paper, but what really strikes me is the scratchy line-making and the way he built up the image through layers of marks. Looking at the group of figures running towards the water, you can see how he focuses on the energy of the bodies, almost like a freeze-frame of movement. Marsh really gets the gritty reality of urban life; he doesn't shy away from the messiness of it all. The lines are raw, but they capture something real. The overall effect reminds me a bit of Honoré Daumier, who was also a master of capturing everyday life with a critical eye. Both artists share a love of the imperfect and a willingness to embrace the awkwardness of human existence.