De verovering van Tabor, Leopoldstad en de pasbrug over de Donau door de Turken by Romeyn de Hooghe

De verovering van Tabor, Leopoldstad en de pasbrug over de Donau door de Turken

1684

Romeyn de Hooghe's Profile Picture

Romeyn de Hooghe

1645 - 1708

Location

Rijksmuseum
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Artwork details

Medium
print, engraving
Dimensions
height 164 mm, width 203 mm
Location
Rijksmuseum
Copyright
Rijks Museum: Open Domain

Tags

#baroque#print#old engraving style#figuration#line#cityscape#history-painting#engraving

About this artwork

This print, made by Romeyn de Hooghe, shows the conquest of Tabor, Leopoldstad, and the bridge over the Danube by the Turks. As an etching, the image relies on the controlled corrosion of metal, using acid to bite lines into a prepared plate. In this case, the effect is dramatic, chaotic even. A scene of brutal warfare unfolds, achieved through the marshalling of countless tiny marks. Look closely, and you can see how the artist organized dense clusters of lines to describe the clamoring soldiers. The varying depth and width of the etched lines create a sense of depth, light, and shadow. The marks create not only the forms, but the atmosphere as well: the smoky haze of battle. The making of prints like these was, of course, a reproductive medium. But it also took enormous skill, and had its own distinct aesthetic. Appreciating the intense, methodical labor involved gives us insight into the print's purpose: to bring dramatic events into the homes of a wide public.

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