Kew Side, a Fragment (Kew, sur la Tamise)

Seymour Haden was the unlikely combination of a surgeon and an etcher. Although he pursued a very successful medical career, he is mostly remembered for his etched work as well as for his writings on etching. He was one of a group of artists, including James McNeill Whistler (1834–1903) and Alphonse Legros (1837–1911), whose passionate interest in the medium led to the so-called etching revival, a period that lasted well into the twentieth century. The extolling of etching for its inherent spontaneous qualities reached its pinnacle during this time. While the line of the etching needle, Haden wrote, was "free, expressive, full of vivacity," that of the burin was "cold, constrained, uninteresting," and "without identity."
At Kew, a path seen in perspective to left; to right, a row of cottages and trees; in the foreground, at center, a couple with three dogs; other figures seen behind them.
"Published State: First.-The man leaning on the railing and four of the figures in the foreground removed. The tree casts a shadow on the largest house. Published in Études à l'eau-forte (No. XI.), under the title of 'Thames Side at Kew.'
[Source: Harrington, p. 40]
"State II (D1, H1). Published in Études à l'eau-forte (No. XI). The figure leaning on the railing and all but two figures in the foreground have been removed; those remaining and the dogs cast shadows. The large tree casts a shadow on the wall of the house at center right, and there are several shadows of the roofs at the right, before the tree, and on thebank near the distant boats."
[Source: Schneiderman, p. 187]