Heuvelachtig landschap met obelisk langs de weg 1760

This landscape with obelisk was made by Leendert Brasser, sometime in the 1700s. It's a print – probably an etching or engraving. In both of these processes, you start with a metal plate, and incise lines into it which will hold ink. The quality of the line is everything. Look closely, and you can see how Brasser varies the marks to create different effects. Notice the dense, almost chaotic, hatching that defines the foliage, contrasting with the more ordered lines used to depict the obelisk and architecture. The human figures are rendered with remarkable economy of means. These choices aren't just aesthetic; they reflect the amount of labor that Brasser was willing to invest in different areas of the image. In a way, printmaking is the perfect medium to reflect on the social landscape, as it is itself a process of reproduction and distribution. Brasser's skill lay not just in his artistry, but in his efficient manipulation of material and process.