Gezicht op Charité-sur-Loire, met links op de voorgrond herders met koeien 1631 - 1691

This etching is titled "Gezicht op Charité-sur-Loire, met links op de voorgrond herders met koeien" and was created by Israel Silvestre in the 17th century. The composition of this image uses a high vantage point, offering a panoramic view of Charité-sur-Loire. Silvestre employs a structural approach, dividing the scene into distinct horizontal layers: from the pastoral foreground with grazing cows, across the river and its arched bridge, to the distant town. The use of line is particularly striking here, where it meticulously describes textures and distances, and where light and shadow convey depth and volume. Notice how the architecture of the bridge and town is rendered with precision, with the overall effect of order and clarity. Silvestre’s calculated representation does more than depict a landscape; it constructs a visual order, and invites us to consider the interplay between nature and culture through a carefully articulated structure.