Embers Glow 1890 - 1897

Theodore Roussel created this print, ‘Embers Glow’, using etching and drypoint, media which allowed for the depiction of rich, dark tones. The print is evocative of the Aesthetic movement in Britain in the late nineteenth century, which emphasized sensual beauty and the autonomy of art. Roussel was associated with James McNeill Whistler, a leading figure of the movement, and he shared Whistler's interest in the nude as a subject for aesthetic contemplation. The Aesthetic movement has often been understood as escapist, but we might also see it as a response to the industrialization of Britain. Art offered a space of refuge. The woman is surrounded by enveloping red fabrics, which gives the print an air of exoticism. Was this Roussel’s comment on social structures of his time? The print collection at the Art Institute of Chicago, where this is housed, provides a rich resource for further study of Aestheticism. By engaging with such collections, we can come to better understand the historical and social contexts in which art is created and interpreted.