The Brook in the Wood 1621 - 1675

Editor: Here we have "The Brook in the Wood" from sometime between 1621 and 1675, an etching in ink by Allart van Everdingen, currently residing at the Met. The light and dark contrast is incredible; it's so detailed for a relatively small work on paper! What strikes you most about it? Curator: What fascinates me are the material conditions and the social contexts surrounding the creation of a seemingly straightforward landscape. Consider the Dutch Golden Age, a period fueled by global trade. How do materials like the paper and ink become conduits for representing nature, filtered through the lens of commerce and artistic labor? Editor: So you are looking at the actual creation of the drawing rather than the drawing itself? Curator: Exactly. We need to unpack the layers of production. The paper itself: its sourcing, manufacturing, and distribution – all shaped by economic forces. Then there's the etching process. What kind of tools, who created the tools, how were they sourced? Who made the print? Was the Artist the printer? What kind of labor division did the printmaking entail? This isn't just a landscape; it's a product of a burgeoning capitalist system. How does this emphasis on material extraction shape the perspective from which nature is viewed? Editor: That makes me think, were these types of landscapes commissioned by wealthy merchants? Almost like showing off what they "owned", including nature? Curator: Precisely! Landscape as commodity. It brings new meaning to landscape. Thinking about the role this plays opens another door to consider the cultural context. Who would be viewing it? How would their understanding of materiality affect their appreciation? How would that affect how we read this artwork today? Editor: That’s a completely different way of looking at this kind of drawing! Thanks, I’m starting to see that a landscape drawing isn't just about the trees and the river, but all of the stuff that was needed to even make it.