Gezicht op het park en het kanaal van Tanlay 1631 - 1661

Israel Silvestre made this print of the park and canal of Tanlay using etching, a process by which lines are incised into a metal plate with acid, and then inked and printed. Look closely, and you can see how the artist skillfully used the etching needle to create a range of textures. From the feathery foliage of the trees to the solid architecture of the buildings, the fineness of the etched line allows for an incredible level of detail. Silvestre was a master of printmaking, and such prints were highly valued in the 17th century. They provided a way to disseminate images widely, allowing people to experience places like Tanlay even if they couldn't travel there themselves. The print also speaks to the rise of leisure and landscape architecture. Tanlay, like Versailles, was the site of a grand chateau, the creation of which demanded a great deal of labor. It’s telling that Silvestre depicts both the manicured landscape of the park and the commoners who enjoyed it. Consider the artistry of printmaking, and how it connects to both the aesthetic appreciation of landscape and to the realities of labor and class in 17th-century France.