Artwork
Cardigan Bridge
Cardigan Bridge is an ink print by the Impressionist artist Francis Seymour Haden. It dates from 1864 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Francis Seymour Haden’s print titled Cardigan Bridge was produced in 1864 using a combination of etching and dry‑point techniques. The work is part of the collection of the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., and exemplifies Haden’s interest in landscape subjects rendered with a spontaneous hand.
Subject & Meaning
The image depicts a river with a modest bridge spanning its left bank, while two small boats drift near the centre of the water. A dense grouping of trees and buildings occupies the right bank, set against a sky rendered in angular, broken lines that suggest a fleeting atmospheric condition.
Technique & Style
Haden employed both etching and dry‑point, allowing him to produce the work’s characteristic rough, textured quality. The lines appear loose and hurried, with uneven shading that gives the water and sky a sketch‑like surface rather than a polished finish.
History & Provenance
Created in the mid‑nineteenth century, Cardigan Bridge entered the National Gallery of Art’s holdings at an unspecified date, where it remains on view as part of the museum’s print and drawing collection.
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