Flooded Decks 1931

Arthur Briscoe made this etching, Flooded Decks, with ink on paper. The choppy, almost violent marks show a real dedication to the process. You can see Briscoe just going at it, capturing the ship in a storm. All those lines! It’s like he’s trying to grab hold of something that won’t stay still. Briscoe's etched line has a lot of variation. See how some lines are thick and dark, really digging in, and others are so light they barely exist? I like how the texture of the paper comes through the image. It reminds you that this isn’t just a picture, it’s a physical thing made by someone, and that those sailors are really struggling against the elements. Looking at Flooded Decks I am reminded of the graphic work of Winslow Homer, who similarly sought to capture the raw energy of marine environments. Both artists invite us to appreciate art's power to convey not just what we see, but how we feel when faced with nature's unpredictable force.