The Passing Gondola 1925

Curator: James McBey's "The Passing Gondola," dating from 1925, is a delicate dance of lines, isn’t it? My first thought is of stillness, almost suspended time, despite the suggestion of movement. Editor: Indeed. The crosshatching gives the whole image a very palpable feel. One really senses the labor put into achieving that effect with etching; consider the acid-biting, the printing process...it speaks to the very physical nature of its creation. Curator: Certainly. The architectural details are just suggested, aren’t they? Enough to convey depth and perspective, especially those ethereal buildings reflected in the water. Editor: What strikes me most is how the buildings loom. McBey focuses on the structures framing the everyday realities of the figure propelling his vessel on a waterway, a conduit for resources as well as people, past palaces for the powerful. Curator: Do you see that dark shape right by the gondola, like a supporting post to that ornate façade? To me, the positioning evokes a strong visual anchor, emphasizing the formal elements, line and shadow creating depth... Editor: I’d say it obscures much of that palace and suggests something structural beyond decorative flourish, reminding us of how buildings come to be over eras— through physical human exertion for shelter. Consider how canals served in waste removal. Curator: Still, the reflective surface pulls us back, obscuring the grit in its glassy shimmer, softening those potentially crude realities through artifice. Editor: Fair enough, the interplay of light and dark softens harsh edges in the urban landscape. All in all, McBey seems to bridge realities with deft artistry using traditional, physical means. Curator: Precisely. The etcher truly orchestrates light and shadow and manages to pull beauty from even that hard water. Editor: The confluence of process and environment produces interesting tensions within its form.