Landschap met herders op heuvel 1679 - 1728

This landscape with shepherds on a hill was made by Johannes Gronsveld around the turn of the 18th century, using etching. The etcher covers a metal plate with a waxy ground, then scratches an image into the ground with a needle. When the plate is dipped in acid, the exposed lines are eaten away. The deeper the bite, the darker the line will print. Here, the lines are densely packed and confidently drawn, giving a sense of atmospheric perspective. Notice how Gronsveld varies the mark-making to differentiate texture and tone, from the feathery trees to the distant hills. Etching was an innovative process at the time. Unlike engraving, which required great force to cut into the metal, etching relied on the chemical action of acid. This made it a more direct and expressive medium, and therefore was very well-suited to the depiction of landscapes. Paying attention to how an artwork is made helps us understand the artist's intentions, and the possibilities of their chosen material. It challenges the distinction between skilled craft and fine art.