The Steam Boats 1861

Charles-François Daubigny made "The Steam Boats" using etching, a printmaking technique that allows for finely detailed and expressive lines. The plate would have been made of metal, likely copper or zinc, coated with an acid-resistant ground. The artist then scratched away the ground to expose the metal, which was then bitten by acid. The image shows small boats bobbing in the foreground, contrasted by the industrial steam boats in the distance, belching smoke. The scene is rendered in a manner that is quite raw and immediate, foregrounding the marks of labor. The etching process itself is labor-intensive, and here it is being used to depict the fruits of industrial labor. Daubigny blurs the lines between fine art and the depiction of everyday life. By emphasizing the material and process, he prompts us to consider the social context of the artwork and the changing world it represents.