Swallows, plate 8 from Le Fleuve

Swallows, plate 8 from Le Fleuve is an important contribution to graphic arts created in 1874 by Édouard Manet, serving as an illustration for the publication Le Fleuve, a text penned by the poet Charles Cros. This piece demonstrates Manet’s complex engagement with printmaking techniques, utilizing etching, drypoint, and aquatint applied in black ink onto ivory laid paper. This demanding combination of intaglio processes allowed the artist to achieve rich variations in tone and texture, from the deep, velvety blacks of the aquatint to the sharp, expressive lines of the drypoint.

The production of this print involved an extensive collaboration, reflecting the interconnected literary and artistic milieu of 19th-century France. The work was printed by the experienced craftsmen Auguste Delâtre and Cochet, and published by Librairie de l'eau-forte and Richard Lesclide. Manet, known primarily as a painter, was a dedicated exponent of original prints, using the medium to explore spontaneous subjects and innovative stylistic approaches distinct from his canvas work.

While the specific subject matter of the "Swallows" plate is atmospheric, this commitment to graphic experimentation helped elevate the status of prints among his avant-garde contemporaries. The work is classified simply as a print, yet its technical sophistication and historical context solidify its importance. This piece is housed in the esteemed collection of the Art Institute of Chicago, making this historic example of French printmaking available for study. Like many significant 19th-century artworks, high-resolution digital representations of the work contribute to the growing catalog of art in the public domain.