Landschap met klif en houten brug over een rivier 1804 - 1815

This landscape with a cliff and wooden bridge over a river was etched by Victor Pillement sometime between 1767 and 1814. This work is made entirely with the lines incised into a metal plate, which holds ink, and is then transferred to paper. Pillement's landscape is rich with detail, all created through the skilled application of this printmaking technique. The image displays a picturesque scene, likely designed for an elite consumer. Though it depicts figures within nature, the true subject is the constructed ideal of landscape itself. Consider the labour involved in creating such a detailed image through printmaking. Each line, each area of shading, had to be carefully etched. The act of producing multiple impressions also speaks to a growing market for images at the time, as well as a changing relationship between art, production, and consumption. Appreciating this work means recognizing the craft, skill, and social context embedded in its making.