Hottinger-Berg, Zürich c. 18th century

Editor: Here we have Johann Heinrich Meyer's "Hottinger-Berg, Zürich." It looks like an etching, undated. I'm struck by how the artist uses line to create such depth. What do you see in this piece? Curator: Indeed. Observe how Meyer articulates the foreground foliage with a dense network of lines, gradually loosening the texture as the eye recedes into the distant mountains. Editor: So it's about controlling the density of the lines to create that depth? Curator: Precisely. And consider how the composition is structured. The large tree acts as a repoussoir, framing the scene and directing our gaze. It is a visual language that structures the work. Editor: That’s fascinating. I hadn’t considered the framing aspect so explicitly. Thank you! Curator: You are most welcome. Paying attention to the language of images is key to understanding their construction.