Morning, Venice 1908

Donald Shaw MacLaughlan made this etching, Morning, Venice, and like a lot of prints, it's all about the lines. Look how he uses them to build up the image, almost like he’s sketching with acid. The magic of an etching is in the surface; it's not just about what you see, but how it feels. The ink sits slightly raised on the paper, and it's this subtle texture that brings the scene to life. MacLaughlan plays with this beautifully, especially in the water. See how the reflections shimmer? It's like the ink itself is liquid, capturing the essence of Venice as a city that floats. The masts of the ships become tangled threads, mirrored and doubled. I’m reminded of Whistler’s etchings, that same interest in capturing a fleeting moment, a mood, with the most economical of means. Art's like a conversation, always building on what came before, finding new ways to see the world.