Farmstead, cows and herdsman in the foreground from Praediorum villarum et rusticarum casularum icones elenoantissimae ad vivum in apre deformatae
Original title: Farmstead, cows and herdsman in the foreground from Praediorum villarum et rusticarum casularum icones elenoantissimae ad vivum in apre deformatae
kurzbeschreibung
This print by Johannes van Doetecum I, made around 1559–61, draws the eye first to the cattle and the herdsman in the foreground, with a farmstead rising behind them. The etching is executed in the etching technique and survives in the first of three states.
Description
Several cows are scattered across the front zone, some lying down chewing their cud, others standing upright. On the right a herdsman handles a stick or a lance. Behind him rises a two-storey building with a pitched roof, flanked by lower structures and trees. A sturdy tree at the right edge grows beyond the picture boundary. The horizontal layout radiates a calm rural mood.
Context
The subject belongs to the series 'Praediorum villarum et rusticarum casularum icones elenoantissimae', which the Dutchman Johannes van Doetecum I published in the mid-sixteenth century. Such series catered to a growing interest in landscape and architectural views in the print trade of the Renaissance. Van Doetecum was known for his subtle etchings, which often went back to designs by other artists.
Impact
The detailed, precise linework of the etching brings the rural space vividly forward. The quiet, balanced arrangement and the even distribution of light and shadow create an idyllic atmosphere that draws the viewer into the scene.
Technique
For this etching, the lines were scratched into an etching ground on a metal plate and then bitten by acid. The carefully drawn, fine lines are typical of the process and allow a rich reproduction of detail. The first of the three printing states shows attentive working and reworking of the plate.
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Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)