Gezicht in Venetië 1911 (Het witte paleis) 1911

Donald Shaw MacLaughlan created this drypoint etching, "Gezicht in Venetië 1911 (Het witte paleis)," in 1911. MacLaughlan, a Canadian artist who gained recognition as a printmaker, captures a scene that is both intimate and grand. The Venice he depicts exists in a moment of transition, a place where the weight of history meets the pulse of contemporary life. Notice how the architecture looms, embodying centuries of Venetian power and wealth, while the figures in boats and on bridges suggest a city teeming with ordinary lives and laborers. MacLaughlan’s choice of drypoint etching allows for a rich and detailed rendering of the textures of the city, from the crumbling facades of the palaces to the shimmering surface of the canals. The whiteness, or lightness, of the palace, and the shadows, evoke not only the architectural space of Venice, but also the emotional tenor of a city caught between decline and enduring allure. It is a Venice filtered through the eyes of an outsider, capturing its timeless beauty while hinting at the complex layers of history and identity beneath.