A Pond with a Fisherman along the River Ain

Adolphe Appian

1868–70 · Charcoal with stumping and scratching out · Drawings and Prints

This quiet scene of a solitary fisherman is one of several large-scale drawings Appian made depicting the landscape surrounding the river Ain, near his native Lyon, in eastern France. Renowned for his skillful and innovative use of charcoal, Appian manipulated the powdery black medium to achieve delicate tones and compelling effects of light. He further scraped and rubbed at the surface of the drawing to render subtle details, from the texture of the tree bark to the shimmering surface of the water.

Artist

Adolphe Appian

Date

1868–70

Medium

Charcoal with stumping and scratching out

Department

Drawings and Prints

Credit line

Purchase, Gift of Mrs. Gardner Cassatt, by exchange, 1998