Rivierlandschap met twee zeilboten 1862 - 1914

Alphonse Stengelin created this small etching of a river landscape with two sailboats, using a metal plate and acid. This traditional printmaking technique involves drawing an image into a wax coating, then immersing the plate in acid, which bites away the exposed lines. What is so remarkable about this process is the capacity for precise and delicate lines that capture the effect of light on water, and the texture of sails. The image, barely 10 by 15 centimeters, feels expansive. The network of tiny lines gives a sense of atmosphere, evoking the subtle nuances of a breezy day. The etching process is labor-intensive and requires skill, each print pulled from the plate is an original work of art. Stengelin was part of a broader artistic movement, which saw printmaking as a populist alternative to painting, an art form capable of wider distribution and appreciation. The result is an intimate artwork, reflective of its time and the cultural values attached to the work involved in its creation.