The Cheese-Press 1910

This etching, 'The Cheese-Press,' by James McBey, spins a whole world out of just a few lines. It's all about the process, letting the acid bite the plate and surrendering to the unpredictable textures that emerge. There's a real tactile quality to it, isn't there? Look at the way he’s built up the trees with these scratchy, scribbly marks – it’s like he's carving into the very air. That figure sitting on the bank feels like a ghost, barely there, but somehow anchoring the whole scene. It reminds me of Turner, in the way he captures a sense of atmosphere and light with minimal means. Etchings like this invite us to slow down, to see the world in a new way, and to find beauty in the unexpected. Art isn't about answers; it's about questions, and McBey certainly poses a few.