La Porte Gayole, Boulogne-sur-Mer 1902

Donald Shaw MacLaughlan made this etching, La Porte Gayole, Boulogne-sur-Mer, and you can really see how he’s feeling the atmosphere of the place with the way he’s built it up, almost like drawing with shadows. It’s all in the details, isn’t it? Look at how the light catches the stones of the old gate, each one a tiny little bite on the plate. You can practically feel the roughness of the stone. And then there's the figures in the foreground, just a few quick scratches, but they bring the whole scene to life, like a little stage play. What I like about this is the way he’s using the materials, really letting the etching do its thing, you know? It reminds me a bit of Whistler, that same love of atmosphere. But MacLaughlan has his own voice. He’s not trying to give us all the answers, just enough to get lost in the moment.