Edge of a Brook (Bord de ruisseau)
1874
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
1874
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
This image shows a quiet, tangled scene of nature. Twigs and branches crisscross in every direction, forming a dense web. Ferns and grass peek through the mess, their lines sharp and detailed. The whole thing is drawn in brown ink, like a sketch left unfinished. The artist used a technique called *drypoint*—scratching lines into a metal plate to make prints. The result looks rough and textured, almost like the real brush of wind through plants. Next, check out technique: drypoint to see how this scratchy style works.
