Gezicht op de tuinen van Kasteel Rosendael, vanuit de Dikke Toren 1718

This print, made by Jan (I) Smit, gives us a bird’s-eye view of the gardens of Kasteel Rosendael. It's made with etching, a printmaking technique where lines are incised into a metal plate with acid, then filled with ink and pressed onto paper. The image is all about control, from the architecture of the garden to the exacting technique used to depict it. The linear quality of etching emphasizes the design's sharp geometry. Think of the labor involved in maintaining such a vast, ordered space; clearly, this garden is a sign of wealth, a display of power over nature. We can also appreciate the skill required to render this scene with such precision, using only the language of line. This print invites us to consider the relationship between the artistry of the etcher and the craft of the gardener. In both cases, human skill is brought to bear on raw materials, transforming them into something beautiful and complex.