Man Mending Fishing Net in Dawn Rain

Pale silver dawn light falls through steady rain, coating the wet cobblestones of an Angers public square in a slick sheen. From an over-the-shoulder view, a man sits hunched over a large fishing net spread across a low wooden bench. He holds a small lantern that casts a warm, flickering circle of orange glow onto the dark mesh and his focused hands. Raindrops bead on the rough hemp fibers and run in thin lines down the wet stone pavement. The sky above is a uniform sheet of grey, matching the damp atmosphere of the early spring morning. Water drips from the brim of his hat onto the bench beside him, pooling with the steady rainfall.