Pont Marie, Paris 1927

Henry Rushbury’s print of the Pont Marie in Paris is a delicate arrangement of lines, a testament to the power of etching. The hatching creates a sense of depth, especially in the reflections on the water. Look closely, and you can see how the marks become more frenetic in the shadows under the bridge arches, and more relaxed on the buildings further back. This reminds me that art-making is always a process of translation, of finding ways to represent a three-dimensional world on a flat surface. It’s almost like sketching with your eyes. Rushbury's work reminds me of Piranesi, who used the etching process in a similarly detailed way to create cityscapes of Rome. Both artists understood that a print can be more than just a reproduction, it can be a work of art in its own right, full of life and movement. The beauty of art is in its openness, its ability to invite us into a world of endless possibilities.