Bookstalls, Paris 1928

Henry Rushbury made this etching, Bookstalls, Paris, sometime around 1922, and it’s all about line. The lines are so delicate; they build up a whole world with the lightest of touches. It’s like he’s thinking through the process, letting the image emerge slowly. There’s something so humble about an etching, right? It’s not trying to be flashy. You can almost feel Rushbury’s hand moving across the plate, scratching in the details, the books, the buildings, the people milling about. And the way he uses line to suggest light, well, it’s magical. Look how he defines the figures sitting on the floor. They are not solid forms, but they are present through suggestion. Rushbury reminds me a little of Whistler, both these guys saw cities as places of quiet beauty, full of subtle moments. Art isn’t always about shouting; sometimes, it’s about whispering.