The Ca d'Oro 1922

This is Donald Shaw MacLaughlan's etching of The Ca d'Oro, a light touch rendering of the Venetian palazzo. What strikes me is the way MacLaughlan uses the etching process to capture the reflective quality of light on water. It's all about the dance between line and tone, how a few well-placed strokes can suggest depth and luminosity. Look at the lower portion of the print, see how the closely-hatched lines build up the surface of the water, creating a shimmering effect? The texture is almost palpable, like you could dip your fingers in and feel the cool water. The marks feel spontaneous, almost improvisational, yet they coalesce into a coherent image. This is how process becomes meaning; the physicality of the medium translates into an emotional experience for the viewer. It reminds me of Whistler, another master of tonal subtlety, though MacLaughlan has a touch more grit, a bit more earthiness in his approach. Ultimately, it’s this embrace of the imperfect that makes the piece so alive.