Mountainous Country c. 1640

This is Herman Saftleven II’s “Mountainous Country,” an etching, now at the Art Institute of Chicago, which, like many Dutch landscape artists, evokes a sense of place that is both real and imagined. Saftleven was born in Rotterdam in 1609, a period of great social and political change in the Netherlands. Here we see the rugged terrain and the small figures which create a sense of scale. These elements speak to the complex relationship between humanity and the natural world. At the base of the mountain we see a figure carrying what appears to be a rifle or perhaps a hunting tool, his dress is simple, he is alone, but seemingly self-sufficient. Saftleven has chosen to depict a rugged rather than tamed landscape, which moves beyond the purely representational and hints at the social and economic realities of 17th century Dutch life. He skillfully uses light and shadow to create depth and texture, inviting us to reflect on our own place within such landscapes.