View of the Pont Neuf 1906

Donald Shaw MacLaughlan’s “View of the Pont Neuf,” made with graphite and wash, is a study in how to see the world with a light touch. The washes of gray create depth, but they are applied so sparingly that the image feels open and airy, like a fleeting impression. Look at the way the arches of the bridge are defined, the dark wash on the right side of the arch gives way to lighter strokes as the eye moves towards the left. It's as though the light itself is shaping the bridge. This reminds me of the drawings of Alberto Giacometti. Both artists share a way of using line and tone to capture not just the appearance of a thing, but its essence, its feeling. Ultimately, art invites us to pause, to look closely, and to find beauty in the unexpected.