Riviergezicht met zeilschepen en een roeiboot met zeven personen 1798 - 1817

This river view with sailing ships was made by Ernst Willem Jan Bagelaar sometime in the late 18th or early 19th century. It’s an etching, meaning that the image was incised into a metal plate, likely copper, and then printed onto paper. Consider how the relatively simple process of etching here enables Bagelaar to capture a bustling river scene. Look closely and you’ll notice the way the artist has varied the density of the lines, especially in the reflection on the water. This isn’t just a picture of ships. It also shows us the artist's patient labor, and the larger world of maritime trade and travel, which was so central to Dutch culture. It is a reminder that so-called 'minor arts' like printmaking can contain just as much skill and cultural information as any painting.