Berglandschap met reizigers op weg Possibly 1614 - 1833

This circular landscape etching was created by Cornelis Danckerts the Elder. The composition immediately directs our gaze along a winding path, balanced by a dramatic interplay of natural forms and subtle atmospheric perspective. The stark contrast between the dense, textured foliage on the right and the rugged, light-struck rocks on the left creates a visual polarity, framing the travellers as they journey into the distance. Danckerts employs a sophisticated use of line and shading to convey depth, inviting the viewer to traverse this stylized terrain. The circular format of the print, unusual for landscape art of this period, may symbolize wholeness, containment or the cyclical nature of time. It challenges conventional landscape formats, prompting a re-evaluation of how we perceive and frame our relationship with nature. Note how the curvature of the tree on the right both mirrors and emphasizes this circular boundary, highlighting the artifice inherent in any attempt to capture the natural world. This is not merely a depiction of a landscape, but a carefully constructed meditation on space, form, and perception.