Herder en herderin 1630 - 1634

This is Theodoor van Thulden's etching, "Herder en herderin". Note how Thulden masterfully uses a network of delicate lines to articulate form and texture. The composition is cleverly arranged, with a shepherdess seated beneath a tree, her gaze meeting a standing shepherd. Observe how the figures are rendered using a complex system of cross-hatching. The fineness of line and its density create tonal gradations, subtly modelling the figures and their garments, while the hatching animates their relationship and the pastoral setting. The artist uses line to evoke the textures of bark, wool and cloth. The work invites us to consider the interplay between form and content, line and space, in constructing pictorial meaning. It's a testament to how much can be evoked by so little, and a reminder that art is not just about what is represented, but how.