Marina di Pisa 1927

W. Douglas MacLeod made this etching, called Marina di Pisa, and I love how it's all about subtle lines. It makes me think about the quiet concentration, the hours the artist probably spent, head down, gently coaxing the image into being, one tiny, precise mark at a time. I can imagine MacLeod focusing on the boats bobbing in the water, the way their reflections play on the surface, the delicate structures of the fishing nets. See how the texture is created by these tiny lines? The sky is evoked with the barest suggestion of marks. It’s a reminder that sometimes, the most powerful statements are made with the quietest gestures. It reminds me of other printmakers I admire like Whistler or Piranesi. Artists are always building on each other's visions.