Evening
Sir Francis Seymour Haden British
Not on view
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."
An evening scene of a rver; small boat at center; trees and foliage reflected in the water.
"Trial Proofs: (b) The boat is now involved in the reflection, and the line of foul bitting harmonised by new work. 'Seymour Haden 1864'"
[Source: Harrington, p. 38]
"State II (Db, 2 impressions, Hb). The water reflections are extended to the boat and new etched work fills in the area clear of foul-biting near the left plate mark. There is light drypoint work in the trees and on the left bank. With the signature and date Seymour Haden 1864.
[Source: Schneiderman, p. 175]
