St. Mark's Doorway, Venice 1927

Louis Conrad Rosenberg made this etching of St. Mark’s Doorway in Venice, with these tiny little marks that make the whole scene shimmer. It’s all about process; you can almost feel him tilting the plate, letting the acid do its thing, like he's letting Venice emerge from the shadows. Look at the stone of those columns, each one built up with these tiny lines, it’s like he’s mapping the wear and tear of centuries. And notice the figure, almost swallowed by the doorway, it brings a really human scale to it. The ink is subtle, but it's not just about description. It's about feeling the weight of history, the cool shadow of the church, and the quiet mystery of Venice. It reminds me a little of Piranesi, with that same love for architectural detail, but with a softer, more personal touch. It’s a conversation across time, each artist seeing and re-seeing the world.