Slapende waternimf 1905

Henri Fantin-Latour made this "Slapende waternimf" using etching, and it’s a real testament to the power of subtle mark-making. It's like he’s coaxing the image out of the paper. The texture in this piece is so delicate, it's almost like a whisper. Look at how he uses these tiny, feathery lines to create the sense of light filtering through leaves. It’s not about bold strokes; it’s about this gentle accumulation of marks. He is creating both form and light with the same gesture, which is hard to do. And the way he renders the nymph's body, so soft and yielding, it’s as if she’s part of the landscape itself. The whole thing feels dreamy, a bit melancholic, like a memory fading at the edges. Think about other printmakers like Whistler, who were also exploring these tonal, atmospheric effects. It’s all about suggestion, leaving space for the viewer’s imagination to fill in the gaps.