Haven met zonsondergang c. 1913

Editor: This is "Haven met zonsondergang," or "Harbor at Sunset," by Alexandre Lunois, around 1913. It's an etching, so a print, and it strikes me as intensely nostalgic, almost like looking at a faded memory of a bustling port. What do you see in this piece that I might be missing? Curator: Nostalgia's a good starting point. The Impressionists, like Lunois, were so captivated by fleeting moments, by light's dance. I see this work almost like a love letter to a place, wouldn't you agree? And it feels distinctly pre-war, doesn't it? Look at the hustle in the water against the encroaching darkness of night. It makes you think of quietude falling across the world like sleep. But, beyond that first emotional response, what grabs you visually? Editor: The way the setting sun reflects on the water is interesting, and how that light kind of disappears towards the back, towards the buildings on the bank. I also see what appears to be lots of fishing vessels in this busy harbor... but all with a slightly ethereal tone. Curator: Ah, exactly! Lunois is using line to really emphasize atmosphere here, isn't he? A controlled flurry to render water in such detail with delicate use of tonality. He uses similar techniques to create an overall mood in a city landscape and give an honest glimpse of a moment suspended. Do you find that makes it a peaceful image? Editor: It really does, despite the "busyness." There’s almost a painterly quality to the way Lunois used etching to depict it. Curator: And doesn't that say so much? The 'sunset' of a traditional world, seen through the modern eye, trying to capture it before it fades into the new century. We look back on this art with such wistful nostalgia. Editor: I do wonder if he knew, creating this, just how poignant this kind of everyday scene would become to us now. Curator: Oh, if only we knew then what we know now! Makes you cherish these quiet little artworks even more, doesn't it?