Rivierlandschap met klooster 1613 - 1657

Nicolas Perelle made this River Landscape with Monastery in the 17th century using etching on paper. Look closely and you'll see the physical marks of the artist’s process. With etching, a metal plate is coated in wax, and the design is scratched into the wax. The plate is then bathed in acid, which bites into the exposed metal. Ink is applied, the surface wiped clean, and the image printed. The fine lines and delicate shading are a direct result of this process. But the choice of this printmaking method is also significant. It allowed for the easy reproduction of images, catering to a growing market for art among the middle classes, and making this landscape accessible to a much wider audience than a painting ever could be. Considering the material and processes used gives us a richer understanding of the social and cultural context in which it was made, and challenges our traditional notions of fine art and craft.