Landschap met bomen en landhuis 1613 - 1695

Curator: Ah, I always find myself drawn back to this serene vista. What a pleasure to be standing before Nicolas Perelle's "Landscape with Trees and Country House," created sometime between 1613 and 1695. The print is housed right here at the Rijksmuseum. What's your first impression? Editor: Stark, but beautiful in its austerity. It feels almost like a map, doesn't it? This very precise accounting of trees, stones and the great house is reminiscent of documentation. Is it an etching? Curator: Indeed, it's an engraving. The Baroque era loved these exquisitely detailed landscapes, full of verdant promise and quietude. It feels very real somehow, capturing a slice of life of that era with stunning clarity and even a hint of whimsy. I find my eyes wandering over the landscape, seeking stories amongst those finely etched lines. What draws your eye in particular? Editor: The labor, undoubtedly. Look at the meticulous application of line after line, crosshatching used to denote depth and texture. An incredible commitment is there. One imagines that for the 17th century viewer, this would be consumed very differently, understood in relation to land ownership and production, something outside the grasp of most. The baroque aesthetic comes at a cost! Curator: Absolutely, though I do think there’s an almost dreamlike quality to it, this slightly idealized countryside…that country house, glimmering in the distance is inviting! Doesn’t it make you want to just disappear into that tranquil scene? There is more that we understand. We also dream. Editor: Yes, though I also see the underbelly of "tranquil scenes." It depicts a society reliant on human exploitation to produce the paper, the ink, and the time freed up to allow for aesthetic pleasure. That gleaming country house is underpinned by a specific economic system that cannot be ignored. Curator: A haunting thought, indeed. Still, to be fair to Perelle, the ability to render this pastoral fantasy with such delicacy and grace on what I assume is simple parchment… there's magic in the making itself. He saw something enchanting and eternal and he brought that into being, transforming the mundane into something truly sublime. Editor: True enough. It's fascinating to consider how this little landscape would have circulated, moving between hands and across borders as an emblem of both artistic skill and the burgeoning concept of leisure. Thanks for sharing this interesting view with me! Curator: And thank you for revealing all its material depths!