Twee vissers (Two Fishermen) - Auguste Lepère

A striking woodcut print by Auguste Lepère, capturing two fishermen at work with bold lines and a minimalist colour palette.

Auguste Lepère was a central figure in the revival of original wood engraving in France during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. This work, titled Twee vissers, demonstrates his technical command of the woodcut medium. Lepère moved away from the purely reproductive engraving techniques common in the commercial press of his time, choosing instead to treat the woodblock as a site for artistic expression.

The composition features two fishermen at work on a boat, rendered with bold, graphic lines that define the figures against the water. Lepère employs a limited colour palette, using flat areas of pale blue and muted green to suggest the sea and sky, while the heavy black ink provides structural weight to the figures and the fishing gear. The style reflects the influence of Japanese ukiyo-e prints, which were widely collected by European artists during this period. The flattened perspective and the emphasis on silhouette over atmospheric detail are characteristic of this cross-cultural exchange.

Lepère often focused on the lives of ordinary labourers, capturing the physical exertion of their daily tasks. In this print, the posture of the standing fisherman, who grips a pole, contrasts with the hunched form of his companion, who is occupied with the nets. The rhythmic lines of the water and the simplified forms of the distant boats create a sense of movement without relying on traditional vanishing-point perspective. This print is a fine example of the decorative yet observational quality that defined Lepère's contribution to the graphic arts. His work remains a reference point for the transition from traditional illustration to the modern print movement, where the artist's hand is visible in every mark on the block.