Cours Saleya, Nice 1929

This is Louis Conrad Rosenberg’s etching, Cours Saleya, Nice, which is essentially a drawing made with acid on a metal plate. The artist takes a commonplace scene, a marketplace, and turns it into a demonstration of how light can define form. It's all about line here, how the etched lines pile up to create shadow, or disperse to suggest sunlight. Look at the tunnel of shadow created by the arch, Rosenberg uses this as a framing device to draw your eye to the activity beyond. See how the piles of plates and dishes in the foreground mimic the arch, guiding your gaze? There’s a real sense of depth and space, with a focus on pattern and texture. The overall effect is both intimate and expansive, capturing a fleeting moment in the life of a bustling marketplace. It reminds me of Piranesi, who also used the etching technique to similar effect, to capture the atmosphere of a place.