Canal at Charenton 1901

Donald Shaw MacLaughlan made this print, Canal at Charenton, using etching, a process of mark-making that reveals as much as it conceals. It's all about the gesture, right? Like a quick sketch, but with acid. Look at the mass of the trees on the right. See how they're built up with these tiny, nervous lines? It's not about perfect representation; it's about capturing the feeling of foliage, the density of light and shadow. The lines have a beautiful shimmer and create a kind of vibrating energy, it feels honest and direct, like a notation of what was seen. The etching has a light touch. Nothing is overworked. But the longer I look at the contrast between the mass of tiny marks in the foliage and the smooth blankness of the sky, the more I think of James McNeill Whistler and his explorations of tonal harmony. But maybe that's just me seeing ghosts in the machine of art history. Either way, it's a really evocative piece.