Vissers aan de kust van Normandië 1851 - 1924

Carel Nicolaas Storm van 's-Gravesande made this etching titled 'Fishermen on the Coast of Normandy'. The composition unfolds horizontally, dominated by the stark contrast between the dark, textured rocks and the ethereal, light-filled sky. This division evokes a feeling of tension between the solid and the fluid, the earthly and the sublime. The artist uses line and tone to create a sense of depth, with the figures becoming smaller and less distinct as they recede into the distance. The rugged forms of the rocks are rendered with precise, almost scientific detail, while the sky is left open and ambiguous. This play between precision and ambiguity destabilizes traditional notions of landscape art. The fishermen are reduced to mere silhouettes, emphasizing the overwhelming power of nature. Ultimately, the tension between the concrete and the ethereal invites us to question our relationship with the natural world.