La Vieille Ville 1928

Cadwallader Washburn made this etching, La Vieille Ville, and though we don't know the exact date, the way he uses line feels very much of its time. It’s like a dance of marks, each one finding its place to suggest form and light. What grabs me about this print is its texture. See how the lines in the water aren't just representing the surface, but also the movement? The way he layers them, thick in some spots and sparse in others, creates this shimmering effect. And then there's the city itself, a collection of lines that somehow come together to form buildings, a bridge, and even a sense of depth. Look at the way the lines describing the buildings are so different from those describing the water. It reminds me a bit of Piranesi, but with a lighter touch, a sense of ease. It’s like Washburn is saying, “Here’s a place, a moment, captured in a web of lines," inviting us to get lost in the details.