Boompartij aan rand van een vlakte 1817 - 1884

Jean Alexis Achard created this print, “Boompartij aan rand van een vlakte,” or “Trees at the Edge of a Plain,” using etching, a type of printmaking, sometime in the mid-19th century. Notice how Achard has structured the composition: The stark contrast between the sky and the trees creates a unique play of light. It is as if the sky illuminates the landscape, creating a scene that pulls you into the edge of the plain. The horizon sits far away and the eye struggles to find it, as our focus is on the way the artist has created shape and texture. The form of this etching, with its emphasis on the structure of the trees and plain, seems to ask us to look closely and discover what emerges. The rough, dark lines create an almost vibrating effect, challenging our perception of the image. This piece invites us to engage with its materiality and form, as if this landscape is not merely depicted but made anew through our seeing.