Wooded Landscape with Travelers 1600

Editor: This is Paul Bril's "Wooded Landscape with Travelers," a pen and brown ink drawing. It’s interesting how Bril uses such simple materials to create such a detailed scene. What can you tell me about it? Curator: Look at the process: the artist's hand carefully rendering each tree, each blade of grass. How does the labor involved in creating this drawing affect our understanding of the landscape itself? Was this landscape accessible to all, or only a select few who had the means to travel and appreciate it? Editor: That’s a great point. I hadn’t considered who had access to these landscapes or the leisure to appreciate them. Curator: Exactly! The materiality of the artwork invites us to consider the social context of its creation and consumption. Think of the ink, the paper, the time. Editor: It really does make you think about the bigger picture. Thanks!