Gedehoved vendt mod højre 1620 - 1683

Nicolaes Berchem created this small etching of a goat's head in the Netherlands, sometime in the mid-17th century. Berchem was a leading figure in the Dutch Italianate movement, and he specialized in pastoral landscapes with animals. His work appealed to the urban middle class, who sought an idealized vision of rural life. The etching technique allowed for the mass production of images, making art more accessible to a wider audience. This print, with its detailed rendering of the goat's fur and horns, reflects the Dutch fascination with realism and the natural world. To fully understand Berchem's artistic choices, we can consult historical archives, market records, and period writings about art. By doing so, we learn more about the social and economic conditions that shaped both the production and consumption of art in the Dutch Golden Age.