Artwork
Lying in the Water
Lying in the Water is a print by Henri Fantin-Latour. It dates from 1903 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.
About this work
Overview
Henri Fantin‑Latour’s work *Lying in the Water* (1903) is a print that belongs to the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art. Executed toward the end of the artist’s career, it continues his long‑standing interest in the human figure, a subject he explored alongside his well‑known still‑lifes and group portraits of Parisian cultural figures.
Subject & Meaning
The surrounding environment is rendered as an indistinct mass of dark shapes, suggesting submerged vegetation or rock.
The image depicts a solitary figure floating face‑down, arms outstretched, beneath a dimly lit surface. The surrounding environment is rendered as an indistinct mass of dark shapes, suggesting submerged vegetation or rock. The composition conveys a quiet, almost meditative stillness, inviting contemplation of the body’s relationship to water and the liminal space between visibility and concealment.
Technique & Style
Fantin‑Latour employs loose, sketch‑like lines that give the print a provisional, study‑like quality. Strong chiaroscuro creates a stark contrast between the illuminated skin of the back and legs and the surrounding gloom, allowing the figure to emerge from the murky background. The overall effect is one of softness and immediacy, emphasizing form over detailed surface texture.
History & Provenance
Created in 1903, *Lying in the Water* entered the Cleveland Museum of Art’s holdings through acquisition in the early twentieth century, though the precise path of ownership prior to the museum is not extensively documented. Its presence in the museum’s collection reflects the institution’s broader effort to represent French printmaking of the period.
Context
By the time Fantin‑Latour produced this work, he had already established a reputation for meticulous still‑lifes and portraits of literary and artistic circles in Paris. The print marks a later phase in his oeuvre, when he turned more frequently to solitary, introspective subjects, aligning with contemporary interests in symbolism and the psychological potential of the figure.
Artist & collection
Artist
Ignace Henri Jean Theodore Fantin-Latour (French pronunciation: ; 14 January 1836 – 25 August 1904) was a French painter and lithographer best known for his flower paintings and group portraits of Parisian artists and writers.
