Herberg aan de Theems 1869 - 1872

Sir Francis Seymour Haden made this etching of a Thameside Inn. Notice the contrast between the industry in the background and the fishermen in the foreground. It was made in a period of intense industrialization in Britain. The Thames was becoming a polluted, overworked river and the image may be read as a commentary on the impact of progress on nature. Haden was a surgeon, who was also a leading figure in the etching revival of the late 19th century, and founded the Royal Society of Painter-Etchers. He was concerned with artistic institutions, but questioned the dominance of reproductive etchings, which merely copied paintings, and encouraged artists to create original works. The etching revival coincided with the Arts and Crafts movement, and, like the movement, it emphasized the importance of craft and individual expression. Art historians consult a range of archival sources, like exhibition reviews and artists’ letters, in order to reveal the dialogue between artists, institutions, and social change.