Salt Shanties
1880
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
1880
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Salt Shanties is a 1880 ink by Charles A. Platt, a Impressionism work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This sketch shows a rickety wooden house on stilts over water. The building looks old, with a sloped roof and a chimney. A crane arm juts out over the roof, like it’s being repaired or built. The water below is choppy, with waves hitting the stilts. In the distance, faint outlines of other buildings appear. The artist used quick, sketchy lines to capture the rough texture of wood and water. This style makes the scene feel urgent, like a moment frozen in time. Next, look up etching to see how artists like this create detailed prints with acid and metal plates.
