Binnenwater met drie eenden 1877

Curator: Here we have Sir Francis Seymour Haden's "Binnenwater met drie eenden," an etching from 1877. It's currently held in the Rijksmuseum collection. Editor: Oh, that's a beauty. Sort of a wistful, watery dream. It feels very immediate, like a quick impression jotted down in a personal sketchbook, you know? Curator: It is quite evocative. The lightness of the etching lends itself to that feeling. Haden was an interesting figure; he was a surgeon who took up etching. Considering that, it's fascinating to consider how his scientific and medical knowledge may have impacted the making and distribution of his art. Editor: A surgeon! That's wild! It's almost like he saw artmaking as a kind of dissection too – laying bare the bones of a landscape. And three ducks lounging... Are they symbolic of anything, do you think? Or just ducks? Curator: Well, waterfowl often symbolize adaptability and emotional flow in art and literature. However, considering Haden's interest in realism, it might just be, simply: ducks, a snapshot of rural life meticulously recorded for both pleasure and reproducibility via printmaking. Think about the number of impressions he would have produced. Editor: Maybe. But I like the adaptability angle. The scene does give the feeling of easy adaptability: water, land, sky… he renders it all in such fragile strokes. Curator: Absolutely. There’s a beautiful interplay between the heavy reeds sketched along the banks and the subtle reflections in the water. I am quite impressed with how he manipulated this print making technique into evoking such sensitivity. Editor: Definitely a thoughtful arrangement, but there's also a delicious accidental feeling to the composition. Like finding this hidden watery corner and thinking "Yes! This is exactly how it should be!" What is intriguing is, did Haden decide it on purpose or through spontaneous actions? I am eager to replicate it in paint. Curator: It is rather intriguing to imagine what Sir Francis might be like, armed with scalpels and etching needles! Thanks to his detailed method and social position, his production reached a great number of people in his community and beyond, enriching and diversifying the consumption of art. Editor: And perhaps reminding people to see the art that's already there, lounging in a quiet corner, in a trio of ducks by a stream.