Castle with Tall Towers c. 1622 - 1625

Hercules Segers made this print, Castle with Tall Towers, with etching in the 17th century. The print is dominated by the castle and evokes a sense of both grandeur and decay. Segers' formal choices are striking. Note the limited tonal range and the intricate network of lines that define the castle’s structure. The composition is carefully balanced, with the imposing towers offset by the surrounding landscape. Segers challenges traditional notions of beauty and the picturesque. He highlights the materiality of the printmaking process through the rough texture and uneven application of ink. The work invites reflection on the themes of time and ruin. The castle, once a symbol of power and authority, is now depicted as a weathered and overgrown structure. Segers asks us to reconsider our understanding of permanence and change by reminding us that even the most formidable structures are subject to the relentless forces of nature and time.