Thames Fishermen

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."
View of river, trees on banks at left and right; man standing in boat at center.
'A scene of the Thames as it meanders west of London, banked with woods and rolling hills. The composition is probably based on the watercolor 'Thames at Evening'(VA)'
'State III (DI, Hi). Published in an edition of eighty by Auguste Delâtre in dark brown ink on India or Chine collé paper. Additional drypoint work in large trees on right bank and they appear fuller and darker; additional shadows on the right bank. Additional limbs added to top of the leafless tree on extreme left. Additional work in far distance, though the reflections of these trees have been removed and edge of bank redrawn. The inlet on left bank closed up and additional drypoint work on the top branches of trees on left. Additional work in clouds at left and two birds added to left sky.'
[Source: Schneiderman, p. 67]
'Published States: First.-The trees on the right are well defined; the central tree in the distance is replaced by a group of several trees; the sky is formed by stratus only. "On the Thames F.S. Haden 1859." 80 impressions printed by Delâtre in brown ink on India paper.'
[Source: Harrington, p. 5]