Staand en liggend schaap met boerderij op achtergrond 1660

Marcus de Bye created this etching, "Standing and Lying Sheep with Farm in the Background," in the 17th century. The composition, dominated by two sheep, presents a formal study in contrasts. The sheep in the foreground is in repose, its form a horizontal mass. The sheep is rendered with dense, textural lines that define its wool, inviting a tactile imagination. In contrast, a standing sheep disrupts the calm, its vertical stance creating a visual tension. Behind, the farm introduces another layer of structural complexity. The artist uses linear perspective sparingly, yet effectively, to suggest depth. De Bye's etching doesn't just depict animals; it explores the formal relationships between line, texture, and space. These choices invite us to consider how the artist uses form to create meaning. Art’s essence lies not only in what is represented but in how the representation is constructed.