Rio delle Verona, Venice 1912

Donald Shaw MacLaughlan created this etching, Rio delle Verona, Venice, using the aquatint technique. The composition is dominated by vertical lines, formed by the buildings lining the canal. These strong verticals create a sense of depth and enclosure, drawing your eye down the waterway. The texture is rich and varied, achieved through the layering of fine lines and tonal gradations characteristic of aquatint. MacLaughlan’s Venice is not the city of vibrant color, but one rendered in muted sepia tones. This subdued palette contributes to the artwork's contemplative mood. The play of light and shadow across the facades adds a sense of drama and visual complexity, emphasizing the tactile quality of the stonework. The artist has employed hatching and cross-hatching to model forms and create atmospheric effects. This technique serves not only to depict the scene realistically but also to evoke a certain feeling of timelessness and decay. The print serves as an intricate study of form and light.