Italianiserend landschap met herder en hond 1652 - 1659

Karel du Jardin made this tiny landscape using etching, a printmaking process where a metal plate is coated with wax, and the artist scratches an image into the wax. The plate is then bathed in acid, which bites into the exposed metal. What's compelling here is the combination of labor and leisure. Etching demands meticulous skill. Yet, the image itself depicts a shepherd in a tranquil landscape – perhaps a subtle commentary on the artist's own role. Du Jardin sells idyllic imagery, but makes this through hard work. The delicate lines and tonal variations achieved through etching lend a softness to the scene, mirroring the pastoral ideal it represents. The materiality of the print – the ink on paper – further underscores the economic exchange at play. This wasn't an original painting, but a print, made to be sold widely. Considering the material and social context, we see that this small artwork encapsulates a much larger story about labor, landscape, and the market.