Hands Drypointing

1865

From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art

Impressionism Realism Late 19th Century Writing

Dominant colour

Hands Drypointing is a 1865 by Francis Seymour Haden, a Impressionism work, depicting Writing, held at Cleveland Museum of Art.

Who painted this?: Francis Seymour Haden
When & what style?: 1865 · Impressionism
Where can I see it?: Cleveland Museum of Art

About this work

This etching shows two hands carefully working a small metal plate. Ink darkens the lines as the artist rolls it through a press. The image stays crisp and sharp. Haden made this while building his own press at home. He often used drypoint, scratching lines into metal by hand. That gives the lines a soft, velvety look you can feel with your eyes. If you like this kind of close-up detail, check out Rembrandt’s etchings at the Cleveland Museum of Art.