High Street, Brussels

About this work

This sketch shows a busy street scene with three tall buildings in the center. People walk along the sidewalks, some carrying bags or bundles. The buildings have large windows, and the rooftops have chimneys and small figures. The lines are loose and quick, almost like scribbles, giving the whole scene a rough, hurried feel. The artist used a technique called drypoint to create the texture—you can see the scratchy lines where the needle dug into the plate. This made the print look a little messy and alive, like a snapshot of real life. Next, check out etching to see how artists like Whistler made prints like this.