Picturing Places and Spaces

In this small aquatint print, a mountainous landscape devoid of trees and human life is depicted. On the left, a rocky ridge ascends to a tall peak. Beyond the peak, it looks like the remains of a glacier that formed the V-shaped valley in the center. Meandering streams flow through the valley to the wide river in the lower part of the print. Light reflecting off the surface of the water and the sliver of sky contrast with the rough, dark rocks in this barren landscape.

The abraded surfaces of rocks are suggested by Fischer's gestural strokes and the aquatint process that produced areas of tone rather than lines. Those on the right look spontaneous and abstract. In this print, natural processes and the artistic process are equally important.