Fishermen c. 1893

Editor: Here we have Henri Rivière's "Fishermen," a print of some kind. It feels… fragile. You can almost feel the rough texture of the paper itself. What can you tell me about it? Curator: The roughness you observe points to a process-oriented approach. Rivière's choice of materials, likely inexpensive, elevates the everyday labor of fishermen. How does this compare to more 'refined' art of the period? Editor: I see what you mean. It feels less about idealizing the scene and more about acknowledging the working class. Thanks! Curator: Precisely. It challenges traditional hierarchies by valuing the process of making and the lives of ordinary people.