Artwork
Sultry Afternoon
Sultry Afternoon is a print by Arthur William Heintzelman. It dates from 1919 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.
About this work
Overview
The figure faces away from the viewer, set against a textured backdrop that suggests rippling water or grass, with a few reeds visible on the right.
Arthur William Heintzelman’s 1919 print titled *Sultry Afternoon* is part of the Cleveland Museum of Art’s collection. Executed as an etching, the work presents a solitary, barefoot child standing in shallow water, clutching a pine‑needle‑laden branch. The figure faces away from the viewer, set against a textured backdrop that suggests rippling water or grass, with a few reeds visible on the right.
Subject & Meaning
The composition captures a quiet, contemplative moment in an outdoor setting. The child’s posture and the simple act of holding a branch convey a sense of innocence and focus, while the surrounding water and vegetation hint at a summer landscape bathed in warm, languid light.
Technique & Style
Heintzelman employed traditional etching methods, incising lines into a metal plate before inking and printing. The exclusive use of black line work and nuanced shading creates a subtle three‑dimensionality, rendering the water’s surface and plant forms with a tactile, almost tactile quality despite the medium’s flatness.
History & Provenance
Created in the immediate post‑World War I period, *Sultry Afternoon* entered the Cleveland Museum of Art’s holdings at an unspecified date. The museum’s acquisition reflects its broader interest in early twentieth‑century American printmaking and the artist’s contribution to that field.
Artist & collection
Artist
Arthur William Heintzelman (1891–1965) was an American artist, born in Newark.
