A Pier in England

In one of the most drastic transformations in Buhot’s graphic work, the plate for A Pier in England, until then worked up in drypoint, roulette, and aquatint, was plunged into an acid bath—to become an etching. The airiness and brightness of the first state have disappeared, replaced by sheets of rain and a greyness of atmosphere that is almost palpable. Why? Certainly not because Buhot was unhappy with the previous appearance of the print, but simply because it was yet another way of interpreting the scene. It marks the difference between those printmakers whose multiple states are simply stages toward a completed final image, and the rare artists like Buhot, who often see individual states as ends in themselves.

Félix Buhot
French, 1847–1898

Private collection

1879

This image is posted publicly for non-profit educational uses, excluding printed publication. Other uses are not permitted.

Etching, drypoint, roulette, and aquatint
State seven of eight
Plate: 11 11/16 x 7 15/16 inches