Drie honden 1606 - 1658

This is Pauwels van Hillegaert's "Three Dogs," an etching of modest dimensions, created sometime in the 17th century. The image is dominated by the stark contrast of line against the blank page, delineating three canines in a seemingly natural arrangement. Consider how Hillegaert uses line to define form and texture. The density of the lines create shading, giving volume to the dogs, while the relative sparseness elsewhere suggests a flat, undefined space. The composition is asymmetrically balanced, drawing our eyes to the alert dog on the right, whose gaze directs us further into the scene. This careful arrangement invites a reading not just of the dogs' physical forms, but their implied relationships and behaviors. The presence of the artist's monogram and a number in the corners also functions as a subtle reminder of the print's status as a reproducible object. The image's lines destabilize our sense of space and representation, prompting reflection on the nature of artistic creation itself.