View on a River, with a Castle on an Island 1553

Hanns Lautensack created this etching of a ‘View on a River, with a Castle on an Island’ in 1553. As a printmaker working in sixteenth-century Germany, Lautensack was part of a generation who saw their detailed landscapes become newly popular amongst collectors. Here, the detailed depiction of the landscape isn't merely about geographical accuracy, but it’s loaded with cultural significance. Castles at this time symbolized power, security, and the established social order. The panoramic view, with its receding layers, implies a world open to exploration, trade, and expansion – reflecting the burgeoning mercantile interests of the time. This piece likely appealed to the rising merchant class, who were eager to display their knowledge of the world. By studying estate records and trade statistics, we can more fully understand the market for landscape prints like this one. Works such as these show how art is always rooted in specific social and institutional contexts.