Zeehaven met de inscheping van de koningin van Sheba Possibly 1775 - 1779

This sepia etching, "Zeehaven met de inscheping van de koningin van Sheba," was created in 1775 by Richard Earlom. Its formal composition leads the eye into a harbor scene bathed in sunlight. The geometric architecture on either side frames the central view, drawing us towards the horizon. Earlom's use of light and shadow gives depth to the buildings and figures, while creating a sense of receding space. The textures, rendered through fine, directional lines, add detail to the stone and water. As a printmaker, Earlom reproduced the work of other artists. This piece is a copy of Claude Lorrain’s painting of the same name. Earlom reinterprets Claude’s painterly effects, which were so influential on the development of landscape painting. By translating paint into line, Earlom invites us to consider the semiotics of image making: how different materials and techniques alter an image’s meaning.