The New Titian Arrives—57th Street c. 1930

Richard Lahey made this etching, ‘The New Titian Arrives—57th Street’, using delicate yet insistent marks to build up tone and texture. I can imagine him bent over the plate, scratching away with his needle, thinking about how to capture not just the scene, but the feeling of anticipation and excitement. Look at that crowd, all jostling for a view of this ‘new Titian’! Lahey's mark-making is so alive, especially when you follow the nervous energy in the lines describing the figures. I wonder what the real Titian would have made of it all? The original master of colour and composition probably would have admired Lahey’s energy, and the way he's managed to conjure a whole world with such simple means. There’s a sense of humour, too, don’t you think? Titian inspired so many artists through the ages, and Lahey is part of that story as well. It’s all one big, messy, beautiful conversation.