Berglandschap met wandelaar Possibly 1624 - 1670

This landscape, made by Jan van Aken in the mid-17th century, gives us a window into the world of early printmaking. It's an etching, meaning that the artist used acid to bite lines into a metal plate, which was then inked and printed onto paper. The material reality of etching influences everything about the image. The controlled corrosion creates a dense accumulation of marks, giving the scene a sense of depth, while the etched lines themselves seem to mimic the textures of the natural world. Consider also the labor involved. Each line carefully etched, each print carefully made. Van Aken was not only an artist but a skilled craftsman, participating in a broader printmaking industry that enabled the circulation of images and ideas across Europe. Thinking about this artwork through the lens of its making helps us appreciate the artistry of the process, challenging our notions of fine art and the skilled trades.