Vrouw die haar kind de borst geeft 1656 - 1698

Pieter Peutemans created this etching, "Vrouw die haar kind de borst geeft," using a dense network of fine lines to build form and shadow. The composition is dominated by the figures of the woman and child framed within an arched window. The texture of the etching creates an intimate scene, emphasizing the figures against the geometric structure of the architecture. Notice how the use of line directs our eye, from the intricate patterns of the woman's clothing to the soft modeling of her face and the child’s body. Peutemans employs hatching to define the contours and to suggest the fall of light, thereby creating a sense of depth within the two-dimensional plane. The structure of the window, with its strong horizontal and vertical lines, provides a formal contrast to the softness of the figures. The contrast between form and texture invites a reading of domestic space as a site of both refuge and exposure. This interplay reflects the broader artistic concerns of the period, where artists explored the boundaries between private life and public representation.