Ostend Fisherman

A fisherman in rubber boots, oilskin jacket, and hat opens his mouth as though shouting to a distant comrade. A marine ray at his feet suggests the nature of his profession. Constantin Meunier may have modeled this figure after laborers he observed at the wharf at Ostend, a Belgian coastal city. Meunier became well-known late in his career for sculptures of workers at docks, mines, and forges and in agriculture and domestic occupations. Despite this fisherman’s grueling employment, his upright posture and muscular physique lend dignity, even heroism, to his labor.