Landschap met ruïnes en drinkend vee 1613 - 1695

Nicolas Perelle created this etching, "Landscape with Ruins and Drinking Cattle," sometime in the late 17th century. Etching is a printmaking process using acid to cut lines into a metal plate, which then holds ink and transfers the design to paper. The magic of etching lies in its capacity for detailed linework. Look at the way Perelle uses hatching and cross-hatching to define form, light, and shadow. The ruins in the landscape aren’t just depicted; they're brought to life through the density and direction of these etched lines. The artist would have had to be skilled at manipulating tools to achieve these qualities of texture, depth, and atmosphere. Although seemingly worlds away from the division of labor in factories, etching too involves repetitive actions and requires expert knowledge. Perelle’s print invites us to consider the value of these processes, expanding our understanding of art history to include craft traditions and skilled labor.