E.077 Fishermans Bend 1993

• I. 1st state of 2

  Etching. View of the convergence of the Yarra and Maribyrnong rivers, with Fishermans Bend on the left, and Coode Island, with its circular tanks and its port cranes, on the right. In the far distance is the harbour facility of Port Melbourne. The composition is substantially complete.

  Impression on wove BFK Rives paper, printed by Rick Amor in his Dunmoochin studio. Inscribed in pencil, below the plate mark: lower left: ‘1 [circled]’; lower centre: ‘Fishermans Bend’; lower right: signed and dated ‘Rick Amor ’93’.

• II. 2nd and final state

  More loose horizontal lines have been added to the sky.

  Impression on wove BFK Rives paper with watermark, printed by Rick Amor in his Dunmoochin studio. Inscribed in pencil, below the plate mark: lower left: ‘2 [circled]’; lower centre: ‘Fishermans Bend’; lower right: signed and dated ‘Rick Amor ’93’.

• Edition, 1993

  Nominal edition of ten, but only one impression was printed and numbered. It is on wove paper and was printed by Rick Amor in his Dunmoochin studio. The edition included an artist’s proof (AP I). Each impression is inscribed in pencil, below the plate mark: lower left: ‘[AP I]’ [or] ‘[1/10]’; lower centre: ‘Fishermans Bend’; lower right: signed and dated ‘Rick Amor ’93’.

  Edition sheet size: 380 x 284 mm

• Artist’s proof (from edition, 1993; impression of 2nd and final state) (Featured Image)

  

  More loose horizontal lines have been added to the sky.

• Comment

  In 1993, when Amor made this etching, Fishermans Bend (formerly Fishermen’s Bend), which lies four kilometres to the west of Melbourne’s CBD, was a large industrial area; much of it is now (2017) earmarked for urban renewal. Coode Island, seen on the right in E.077, is a petrochemical storage area.

  The etching presents a composite view based on two plein-air works by Amor: a drawing of the distant view (but moved further up than in reality), and an oil painting that shows the scene depicted in the left half of the print.

  This is one of Rick Amor’s most Whistlerian etchings, both in the delicacy of its etched line and in its setting.