View of Wageningen c. 1628 - 1630

Hercules Segers made this colored etching of Wageningen sometime between 1620 and 1630. Segers lived and worked during the Dutch Golden Age, a period of great wealth for the Dutch Republic, built on overseas trade and, less attractively, colonial exploitation and slavery. Segers' landscapes often evoke a sense of melancholy. His innovative printmaking techniques, which included using colored inks and textiles, create unique textures and atmospheric effects. Segers aimed to elicit an emotional experience for the viewer. Here, the panoramic view offers a sweeping vista of Wageningen, a town then known for its strategic location and agricultural significance. But Segers' landscapes can also be interpreted as a reflection on the human condition, our relationship to the land, and perhaps even the transient nature of prosperity, especially when that prosperity is built on such morally dubious foundations. The somewhat somber palette and dramatic sky invite contemplation on the complex relationship between the beauty of the land and the historical context in which it was created.