The Shore n.d.

Rodolphe Bresdin’s “The Shore,” now at the Art Institute of Chicago, was made with pen and ink on paper. These are traditional, modest materials, not esoteric high-tech ones. Bresdin's stark, linear technique, with its emphatic cross-hatching, gives the image its power. The ink, applied with careful deliberation, captures the rough textures of the rocks in the foreground, the distant buildings and sailing ship beyond. We can imagine the artist, perhaps working outdoors, using the tip of his pen to build up the image bit by bit. The stark, economical style speaks to an aesthetic formed from simplicity and directness. It’s worth considering the time and labor that went into producing this small drawing. Bresdin, who struggled financially throughout his career, would have been acutely aware of the value of his materials and time. This work challenges any distinction between high art and craft. By emphasizing the significance of the making, and the means of production, we gain a deeper understanding of the artwork's meaning.