Schuiten in de winter c. 1894 - 1895

Pieter Dupont’s etching, "Schuiten in de Winter," presents a stark, wintry waterscape dominated by muted tones and textured surfaces. The composition, built upon a foundation of horizontal boat shapes and vertical wooden piles, creates a sense of grounded stillness that is in contrast with the dynamic scattering of birds. Notice how Dupont’s marks vary in density to articulate form and depth. The artist uses the texture of the etching to convey a sense of cold and dampness, emphasizing the bleak atmosphere. The boats, rendered with a sharp focus on line and form, sit heavy in the water, reflecting a somber mood. This work functions as a signifier of the Realist movement, where artists turned to depict the everyday. The image is not merely representational but serves to evoke a sense of the place and time through its formal elements, engaging with the philosophical notions of perception and the experience of reality.