Battleships c. 1917 - 1919

Gertrude Fiske made this etching, Battleships, using a precise yet delicate approach, like a cartographer charting unknown waters. Look at how she renders these behemoths of steel as if they were mirages, or spectral apparitions, their forms emerging and dissolving into the surrounding atmosphere. The lines are so thin, almost tentative, that you can practically feel the artist's hand trembling as she etches into the plate. Fiske captures these vessels with such lightness and brevity, it reminds me of James McNeill Whistler's atmospheric etchings. Both artists share an ability to evoke mood and atmosphere through subtle tonal variations and a keen eye for composition. And while Fiske's subject matter may differ from Whistler's nocturnes of the Thames, she shares his appreciation for the beauty of industrial subjects. Like all great art, this piece shows how even the most imposing subjects can be rendered with grace and sensitivity.