The First Sight of Jerusalem - Nebi Samwil, No.2 1920

James McBey made this print, *The First Sight of Jerusalem - Nebi Samwil, No.2*, with drypoint, a process that revels in the burr of the line. Look how he scratches the surface to build a layered landscape. You can almost feel the dry air. There’s a real contrast between the stark, almost barren foreground and the distant, hazy cityscape. McBey uses the drypoint to create a rich texture, especially in the shadows. See how the lines cluster together, creating depth and a kind of nervous energy? Those little flicks and scratches feel like a visual record of the artist's own experience, his own searching. Notice that dark, smudgy patch high above the hill? Is it a storm cloud? It draws the eye upward, almost like a question mark. McBey’s approach reminds me a little of Whistler, another printmaker fascinated by atmospheric effects. But where Whistler is often muted and tonal, McBey feels more immediate. Ultimately, art is an ongoing conversation, full of gestures and open questions.