Loggia della Podesta, San Gimignano 1926

Louis Conrad Rosenberg made this print of the Loggia della Podesta in San Gimignano, and it’s all about the power of the line. Think about how many little scratches and strokes are needed to create an entire scene! Look closely, and you can see how the hatching and cross-hatching builds up the textures of the stone and creates a sense of light and shadow. On the bottom left, see how Rosenberg uses denser lines to suggest the deep shadows under the canopy, compared to the lighter areas on the sunlit walls? He's using the physicality of his marks to define the space. It reminds me a little bit of Piranesi’s architectural etchings, the way he uses line to create these almost dreamlike urban spaces. And like Piranesi, Rosenberg isn't just showing us a place; he’s inviting us to wander and get lost in the details. Art isn’t about capturing something perfectly but about offering a way of seeing.