Haarlem
James McBey (1883-1959), Haarlem, etching, 1910, signed in ink bottom right margin and numbered XXXV bottom left [also signed, titled and dated July 1910 in the plate]. Reference: Hardie and Carter 61, only state, edition of 40, 4 3/4 x 6 7/16, the sheet 6 1/4 x 8 inches. Printed on old laid paper, with a partial crest watermark, with margins. In good condition, a paper loss upper right corner (away from image), slight soiling in margins, archival mounting.
A fine impression, with a light veil of plate tone.
At the age of 26 McBey left his bank job (which he had had for 15 years!) and traveled to Holland, where from July to September of 1910 he created a number of etchings depicting the Dutch landscape. McBey had studied Rembrandt’s prints, and the influence of the Master is evident in etchings such as Haarlem; Haarlem also is reminiscent of Whistler’s Thames etchings (particularly in the use of the device of the man in the foreground looking over the parapet onto the water), and of course McBey was a student of Whistler as well. During this trip McBey found a folio of old laid paper which he discovered enhanced his printmaking, thereby beginning a life-long habit of printing etchings on fine old papers.