Landschap met hooiende boeren met Amsterdam aan de horizon 1803

This print, *Landschap met hooiende boeren met Amsterdam aan de horizon*, was made by Izaak Jansz. de Wit, likely in the late 18th century, using etching and engraving. These are intaglio printmaking methods, where lines are incised into a metal plate, which is then inked and pressed onto paper. The fine lines of the etching capture a rural scene – farmers gathering hay, with the skyline of Amsterdam in the distance. What's striking is the contrast between the labor-intensive work depicted and the refined technique used to create the image. Etching and engraving were skilled trades, demanding precision and control. The print highlights the social and economic realities of the time – the dependence on agricultural labor, the division between rural and urban life. It invites us to consider the amount of work involved in producing both the hay in the field and the image itself. By understanding these processes, we can appreciate the skill and effort that went into both, and question traditional hierarchies between art and craft.