Rustic Solicitude (Solicitudo rustica), from "The Large Landscapes"
Original title: Rustic Solicitude (Solicitudo rustica), from "The Large Landscapes"
kurzbeschreibung
Around 1555–56 Johannes van Doetecum I made "Solicitudo rustica" (Rural Contentment) as an etching with engraving for the series "The Large Landscapes." The print presents a country view with mountains, a river and several figures set within an idealized environment.
Description
A river runs across the foreground; on its bank a person sits, with another standing nearby. Behind them mountains rise, and a village nestles among fields and hills. The sky is clouded and a few birds fly overhead, while trees and fields build up the landscape in dense layers. Everything stays monochrome and evenly bright, as the printing technique dictates. The layout is broad, resting on its horizontal spread.
Context
The series "The Large Landscapes" goes back to designs by Pieter Bruegel the Elder, which Johannes van Doetecum I translated into etching in the 1550s. This group of landscapes is considered influential for the emergence of landscape as an independent subject in Northern European art. Van Doetecum, a Netherlandish engraver and printer, was known for his exact reproductions.
Impact
The calm, balanced arrangement of the landscape elements radiates harmony. Clear organization and finely graded lines convey the image of an idealized rural idyll and invite the viewer into a contemplative world.
Technique
Etching and engraving are used together, allowing fine and precise lines. The plate measures 32.6 x 43.2 cm; the sheet survives in the first of two states. This method permits a detailed account of the landscape with nuanced differences in the density of the strokes.
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Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)