En gammel fisker. Brystbillede 1885

Carl Bloch made this print, "An Old Fisherman," in Denmark at some point during his career. It portrays the bust of an elderly, bearded man, capturing the likeness of a working-class subject through etching. Bloch's choice of subject and medium reflect broader trends in 19th-century European art. The rise of Realism saw artists turning away from historical and mythological themes to focus on everyday life. Printmaking, with its accessibility and reproducibility, allowed for wider dissemination of such images, influencing popular perceptions of social types. The fisherman, in particular, embodies the virtues of hard work and resilience. The Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts, where Bloch trained and later taught, played a vital role in shaping artistic styles and tastes. So understanding the art of the time requires archival research into exhibition records, journals, and other historical documents, through which we can contextualize the work and trace its significance.