Landscape with a Plateau, a River in the Distance c. 1622 - 1625

"Landscape with a Plateau, a River in the Distance" is a small, but striking, chiaroscuro woodcut by Hercules Segers, a Dutch artist known for his innovative printmaking techniques. The artwork depicts a distant landscape, dominated by a vast plateau and a river winding through the distance. The foreground features a lone tree, its branches reaching towards the sky, creating a sense of solitude and mystery. The composition, dominated by the use of dark tones, reflects Segers' interest in capturing the atmospheric qualities of light and shadow, creating a sense of depth and mystery. This artwork is a fine example of the dramatic and evocative use of light and shadow that became a defining feature of Segers' work.