Landschap met figuren bij een brede rivier 1613 - 1695

Nicolas Perelle created this landscape scene on paper using an engraving technique in the 17th century. Engraving is an intaglio printmaking process. A design is cut into a flat surface, here a metal plate, using a tool called a burin. The artist carefully incises lines into the plate. The depth and proximity of these lines determine the amount of ink they hold, and thus the darkness of the printed line. The plate is then inked, and the surface wiped clean. Paper is laid on top, and then run through a high-pressure press, transferring the ink from the recessed lines of the plate to the paper, creating the print. The resulting image shows a wide river landscape with figures, demonstrating Perelle’s mastery of line and tone. This was a painstaking, labor-intensive process requiring great skill and precision. The prints would have been made to circulate widely and cheaply, spreading the artist’s vision beyond the elite circles of painting, thus broadening access to visual culture, and shaping perceptions of the world. Ultimately, considering the materiality and production of the print deepens our understanding of its cultural significance.