Oud kasteel op een berg 1851 - 1852

This landscape, "Oud kasteel op een berg", was made by Antoine Severin, using a printmaking technique. The print presents an idyllic view of nature. Look closely, and you'll see that this image is made up of many tiny marks. The printmaking process involves a lot of labor, each line, dot, and area of tone meticulously placed to create the overall image. The artist must have carefully carved or etched a plate, applying ink, and pressing it onto paper. The final product would have been more easily reproducible than a painting. The artist has captured a certain sense of tranquility, but also a scene in which nature and culture have come together. The composition is fairly conventional, but this is beautifully created using skilled traditions. By attending to the materials and the making, we can appreciate how such images reflect the changing relationships between labor, technology, and the natural world.