Landscape in Oval 1637 - 1684

Claes van Beresteyn created this landscape in oval sometime in the 17th century, using etching. The image is made by drawing through a waxy ground on a metal plate, which is then exposed to acid. The acid bites into the metal where the ground has been removed, creating incised lines that hold ink, and when pressed to paper, the image appears. The result is an image with a distinctive graphic quality. The etched lines have a crisp, almost wiry feel, giving the landscape a sense of texture and depth. The density of the lines creates tonal variations, from the light sky to the darker areas of foliage. This printmaking technique, enabled a relatively inexpensive and reproducible means of image-making. Artists like Beresteyn democratized landscape imagery for a growing middle-class market, who would have understood the skill and labor involved in the production of these artworks. Considering the materials, processes, and social context of this etching allows us to appreciate its historical significance, as both a work of art and a product of its time.