Landscape with Horses Being Led Down a Path c. 1723 - 1730

Editor: This is Marco Ricci's "Landscape with Horses Being Led Down a Path," a print housed at the Harvard Art Museums. The contrast between light and shadow really creates a sense of depth. What do you see in this piece? Curator: The deliberate arrangement of tonal values certainly establishes the composition. Observe how the varied textures—foliage, rock, sky—are rendered through a sophisticated system of hatching and cross-hatching, wouldn't you agree? Editor: Yes, I noticed that too, especially in the trees. It’s incredible how much detail he achieves with line work alone! Curator: Indeed. The artist masterfully employs line as a formal device to articulate spatial recession and define form. Editor: I hadn’t considered it that way before. Thanks for pointing that out! Curator: My pleasure. Examining the formal relationships enhances our understanding of the artist’s skill.