Tangier 1913

This is "Tangier" by James McBey, made as an etching, sometime around 1919. It's all about the line in this print, a delicate dance of marks that create form, space, and even mood. Look at how McBey renders the sky. It’s not just empty space, it's alive with scribbled lines that suggest the weight of the clouds, maybe even the humidity in the air. That sort of atmospheric perspective gives the print depth. The texture isn't just on the surface; it's woven into the scene itself, like the dust kicked up by the horses or the way the light catches the buildings in the distance. Thinking about the line-making in this way reminds me of the work of Whistler. Both he and McBey were masters of suggestion, hinting at details rather than spelling them out. It's an invitation to participate, to fill in the gaps with our own imaginations. Art is about seeing and feeling, not just knowing.