Robin Hood's Bay 1907

David Young Cameron made this etching of Robin Hood's Bay, and well, it's hard to know exactly when, but probably sometime in the early 20th century. Looking at the massing of the buildings, the way they're set back from the water, the whole scene feels both solid and transient at the same time, which comes from the sheer number of marks. See how the lines are massed together to create the shadows, and they create texture, depth, atmosphere, everything. What I love about etching is how it shows the artist's thinking, right there on the plate. Take the buildings on the right, for example. The way they loom over the water, the etched lines almost seem to vibrate with the weight of the stone and the history they contain. It reminds me of Piranesi and his architectural fantasies, the way he uses line to build up these monumental spaces. Except here, it's not fantasy, it's a real place, grounded in the everyday. It all feels like an ongoing conversation, like art always is.