La Rue Mirebeau, Bourges 1925

Louis Conrad Rosenberg made this etching of La Rue Mirebeau in Bourges. It's all in shades of brown, and you can see how the artist really built it up with these tiny marks. It’s like he’s feeling his way through the scene. Looking closely, you can see how each stroke of the needle adds to the texture, especially in the buildings on either side. The lines are thick in some places, thin in others, and they make the street feel super real, like you could walk right in. The way the light hits those old buildings, it's like the whole scene is breathing. Rosenberg's print is similar to Piranesi's etchings of Rome, in its attention to detail and its use of light and shadow to create depth and drama. But, really, art's just an ongoing conversation.