print, etching
narrative-art
etching
landscape
figuration
romanticism
Dimensions: height 670 mm, width 519 mm
Copyright: Rijks Museum: Open Domain
Léon Jean Baptiste Sabatier's Vissersboot op het strand is a print made using a technique called etching, sometime before the artist's death in 1887. The material reality of the etching influences its appearance, with the network of tiny lines creating a range of tonal values and textures. These lines were created by drawing into a wax ground on a metal plate. The plate was then submerged in acid, which bit away at the exposed metal, leaving behind an incised design. The laborious process of creating an etching, which requires a high level of skill and craftsmanship, imbued the print with social and cultural significance. Consider the tradition of printmaking, which democratized image production and distribution, making art more accessible to a wider audience. Here, the imagery of the fishermen alludes to the hardships faced by maritime communities, as they struggle to make a living from the sea. In appreciating the work of Sabatier, we move beyond a purely aesthetic evaluation, to consider the labor, the materials, and the broader social context in which the artwork was created.
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