Gezicht op water met boten en een kade 1884

Frans Hens created this waterside view with boats and a quay using etching techniques. The composition is arranged horizontally, with the foreground dominated by stark, vertical posts that lead the eye into the hazy atmosphere of the scene. Hens uses line and texture to create depth and imbue the scene with a sense of light. The sparse use of detail, especially in the sky, suggests an interest in capturing the ephemeral qualities of light and atmosphere. The quayside scene has a structural language reminiscent of industrialization and its impact on landscape. The scene is presented in a semiotic play, where traditional forms are destabilized through the lens of emerging modernity. Hens challenges the viewer to reconsider their relationship to the changing world. By capturing this moment, Hens invites us to examine the dialogue between nature, industry and art.