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Aquatint etching on wove paper. Signed by the artist, dated 1989, and numbered lower right in pencil. Edition of 100 with 15 artist’s proofs. Published by Parasol Press.
A glowing lemon-yellow wash of color floods this erotic beach landscape with light. Hidden in the dappled shadow of a tree, a nude woman glances downward as she applies sunscreen. A man stands behind her with a ball in his hands, stopped in his tracks by the unexpected sight. Fischl creates sexual tension with the two figures’ ambiguous relationship: is he waiting for her, or is she a stranger? The impression of two etching plates evokes a pair of snapshots – incorporating the viewer into the role of voyeur. Fischl’s painterly marks display the transparency and fluidity of a watercolor painting, yet the artist’s command of light and shadow lend this dream-like scene surprising realism. Printed in yellow, purple, brown and dark grey, this print is a superlative example of Eric Fischl’s sexually charged, disquieting scenes of everyday American life and leisure.
