George W. Davison 1929

James McBey made this portrait of George W. Davison in New York, in December 1929. It looks like he used an etching technique to create the image. It's all in delicate lines, giving it a soft, almost dreamy quality. I can imagine McBey, carefully drawing the lines, maybe in a hurry, trying to capture something essential about Davison. What was he like? McBey's portrait suggests a man of authority but also with a touch of vulnerability. The lines around his eyes and mouth hint at untold stories, secrets, or maybe just a life well-lived. I notice the way McBey used the lines to create shadows and light. It's like he's sculpting the form with the etching needle, creating a sense of depth and volume on the flat surface. And that tie! Those frantic scribbles are a wild contrast to the relative calm of Davison's face and suit. It almost feels like the artist is channelling the frantic energy of the time, the lead-up to the Great Depression, into his art. It makes you wonder what he was trying to convey.