Old Boat-House
1881
ink
paper
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
About the artist
1881
ink
paper
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Old Boat-House is a 1881 ink by Charles A. Platt, a Impressionism work, depicting Harbor, held at National Gallery of Art.
This etching shows a small wooden boathouse by a river. The roof is sagging. A single door hangs crooked on its hinges. Charles Platt used a sharp needle to scratch lines into a metal plate. Then he filled the lines with ink and pressed paper onto it. That’s called etching. Platt made this in 1881. His lines feel scratchy and real. Look close and you’ll see little dots—he added drypoint to make shadows darker. Try Platt’s etching technique next.
