La Passerelle, Boulogne 1902

Donald Shaw MacLaughlan made this etching, La Passerelle, Boulogne, in the early 20th century. It’s all about the process, the artist thinking through the image with the tools of etching - a metal plate, acid, and ink. What I love about etching is how the artist coaxes a sense of light and depth from a dense web of lines. Look at the way MacLaughlan renders the water, a thick, almost velvety darkness achieved by layering lines upon lines, a real contrast to the crisp, sparse lines that define the sky. It’s almost as if you can feel the dampness of the air. I’m reminded of Whistler, who also elevated the humble etching to high art, but MacLaughlan has a grittier, more industrial feel, a nod to the changing times. In art, as in life, it’s all about the conversation, building on what came before, and pushing towards something new.