Light Through Fog, N. Y. c. 1930

This evocative print of New York City was made by Edna W. Lawrence using etching, a printmaking technique that dates back centuries. To make an etching, the artist covers a metal plate with a waxy, acid-resistant ground, then scratches an image into that ground with a needle. When the plate is dipped in acid, the exposed lines are etched into the metal. Ink is then applied to the plate, filling the etched lines, and the surface is wiped clean. Finally, the plate is pressed against paper, transferring the inked image. Lawrence's choice of etching allows for fine detail and subtle gradations of tone, perfectly capturing the ethereal quality of light filtering through fog. This painstaking, indirect method is well suited to her subject; it's a reminder that even a seemingly spontaneous atmospheric effect is always mediated by our perception, culture, and even the built environment. Ultimately, Lawrence uses the language of craft to describe one of the world’s great metropolises, suggesting that beauty can be found even in the most industrialized settings.