Mountain Landscape with a Crest, First Version c. 1622 - 1625

Hercules Segers created this Mountain Landscape in the early 17th century using etching and aquatint on paper. Now, etching and aquatint are printmaking techniques, which means Segers would have been thinking about how to make multiple originals of this image, for wider distribution. Look closely, and you can see how the rugged textures of the landscape are mirrored in the granular surface of the print. The dark lines of the etching capture fine details, while the aquatint creates broad tonal areas, imitating the effects of watercolor. These effects were produced by applying powdered resin to the plate before bathing it in acid. This required immense skill and judgement. In Segers' time, printmaking was closely tied to the rise of a market economy, allowing artists to reach a broader audience and become entrepreneurs. Appreciating the craftsmanship and ingenuity involved in making such a print invites us to reconsider traditional hierarchies in art history. Was Segers a fine artist, or a master craftsman? Perhaps he was both.