Landscape with a Waterfall, Second Version c. 1625 - 1627

Landscape with a Waterfall, Second Version, was etched by Hercules Segers sometime in the early 17th century, using a technique as mysterious as it is masterful. Segers lived and worked during the Dutch Golden Age, a period of unprecedented economic, scientific, and cultural growth in the Netherlands. Yet, unlike many of his contemporaries, Segers lived in relative obscurity, struggling financially and experimenting tirelessly with unconventional printmaking techniques. Segers's landscapes are not mere depictions of the natural world; they are emotional landscapes, charged with a sense of solitude and introspection. His works often evoke a feeling of melancholy, reflecting perhaps his personal struggles. The monochromatic palette and the rough, uneven textures contribute to this somber mood. Segers printed in color and often on textiles, and each print of this image is unique. Segers’s innovative approach to printmaking set him apart from his peers, and his work was greatly admired by later artists, including Rembrandt. "He went his own way," you might say, with both the freedom and the isolation that path engenders.