The Cemetery Bridge (Ponte dei morti) 1906

Fabio Mauroner made this print, of what I presume is Venice, and it feels as though it was rendered entirely with drypoint. Look closely, and you'll see that the artist pulled the needle across the plate, creating an incredibly fine web of burrs that catch the ink, resulting in a velvety, almost three-dimensional effect. The whole scene shimmers; a tight, dense, mass of marks on the left side gives way to the expanse of water as the marks become more spaced out. It almost feels like the crowd thins the further you get from the edge. The horizon is hazy, indistinct, a thin smudge of tone. What I love most is the way Mauroner embraces the inherent messiness of the drypoint process, allowing the burr to create a soft, atmospheric effect. This reminds me of Whistler’s etchings of Venice, or maybe even some of Piranesi’s looser compositions. It's an ongoing conversation across time, isn't it? The art of printmaking. Ambiguity and beauty all in one.