Riviergoden bij een tempel by Hendrik Jacobsz Soeteboom

Riviergoden bij een tempel 1658

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print, etching, engraving

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aged paper

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baroque

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print

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pen sketch

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etching

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old engraving style

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sketch book

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landscape

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figuration

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personal sketchbook

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sketchwork

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pen-ink sketch

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line

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pen work

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sketchbook drawing

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sketchbook art

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engraving

Dimensions: height 109 mm, width 66 mm

Copyright: Rijks Museum: Open Domain

Editor: Here we have Hendrik Jacobsz Soeteboom’s etching, “Riviergoden bij een tempel”, from 1658. The composition has such incredible detail. I find myself drawn to the contrast between the crisp architectural elements and the wild landscape… What strikes you most about it? Curator: Well, considering Soeteboom's place in the cultural landscape of the Dutch Golden Age, what we're seeing is a fascinating negotiation of civic pride and classical learning. These river gods—the personifications of local waterways—flank what appears to be the title page for a book. How does the inclusion of the title affect your view of it? Editor: I think framing the figures around text transforms the art from simple representation to an advertisement almost! Curator: Precisely. Think about the social function of printed images in 17th-century Netherlands. They circulated widely, influencing public perception and solidifying cultural identity. These weren’t merely decorative; they were integral to the spread of ideas and the construction of collective narratives. Does that shift your perception? Editor: Yes, because suddenly these figures also come to embody a connection with classical virtues that are deeply embedded in the community's sense of self. Curator: Exactly. Soeteboom cleverly uses established visual tropes to lend prestige to his work, intertwining local identity with a broader European intellectual tradition. Editor: So I see how studying it as a document of cultural trends gives insight to 17th-century thought! Thanks! Curator: Absolutely. It highlights the dialogue between the local and the universal. Seeing how these engravings helped create a shared history definitely broadened my view too.

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