Mooring Her 1927

Arthur Briscoe made this print, 'Mooring Her', with etching. Can you imagine the artist, bent over the plate? It’s a world of labour. I'm immediately drawn to the movement of the figures hauling on that rope. Look at the way Briscoe has scratched those lines to describe the strain in their bodies. There's a real sense of weight and effort, not just in the figures, but in the scene itself. I think about how etching is not only about applying the acid, it’s also about wiping the plate. The wiping can create a ghostlike image. Briscoe, I think, really understands the sea. He’s not just drawing a picture; he's conveying the feeling of being there, the salt in the air, the grit under your fingernails. He’s part of a long line of painters, from Winslow Homer to Van Gogh, drawn to the drama of hard work. They’re not telling stories, but trying to get at some more profound experience.