Landschap met Jacob worstelend met de engel Possibly 1777

This print, *Landschap met Jacob worstelend met de engel*, was etched by Richard Earlom and published in 1777. The print medium itself is fascinating, because etching is an inherently reproductive technique. It's all about creating an image that can be multiplied and distributed widely. The tones and textures of the landscape come from the artist manipulating a metal plate, biting into it with acid, and then printing it. Look at the dark pools of ink that define the trees. The artist carefully controlled the depth of the etched lines to capture the overall composition. Prints like this fueled a growing market for art in the 18th century. They made images accessible to a broader public, and they democratized art in a way that hadn't been possible before. The very act of multiplication speaks to the rise of consumer culture and the expansion of art beyond elite circles. This is not just a landscape, but also a document of a changing social landscape.