Berglandschap 1637 - 1692

"Berglandschap" by Roelant Roghman, made sometime in the 17th century, is an etching on paper. This isn't painting or sculpture in the conventional sense, but a print: a matrix created through careful, painstaking work. The artist would have painstakingly scratched the image into a metal plate, a skilled tradition with its own distinct history and aesthetic. It is worth considering the number of prints that could be created from this plate: each one an original, and a commodity available for purchase. Look at the density of lines, how the artist has built up a sense of the rough texture of the rocks, the depth of the landscape. Think about the labor involved, and the artist’s engagement with the landscape. The print is a multiple, a serial production of an image, yet is also the result of time-consuming activity. Ultimately, considering the labor and methods behind artworks like this challenges us to rethink traditional distinctions between fine art and craft.