About the artist
Born near Aberdeen in Newburgh, McBey was a self-taught artist who cut his teeth in the art world from books while working as a bank clerk at fifteen. His interest in printmaking was sparked after learning about etching, leading him to produce his initial prints using a household mangle and his own handmade printing press. Inspired by Rembrandt's prints, McBey embarked on his artistic journey in 1910 with a trip to Holland. After settling in London for a while, he served as an Official War Artist in Egypt in 1917. His etching work enjoyed great popularity in the 1920s, but with the collapse of the print market during the Depression, he shifted mainly to commissioned portraits. McBey never identified with any artistic movements, preferring to view himself as a traditional craftsman.
