Landschap met Escorial 1694 - 1737

Pieter van den Berge created this landscape with El Escorial. It is a print with etching and comes from the late 17th or early 18th century. Notice how the composition is structured into distinct horizontal layers: the detailed foreground with figures, a middle ground with a river and bridge, and a background dominated by mountains and the Escorial. The cool blue and green tones of the mountains contrast with the warmer browns and yellows of the foreground. This use of colour enhances the sense of depth and distance. Van den Berge employs a formal structure rooted in linear perspective, yet the rendering of space feels somewhat stylized. It doesn't quite adhere to strict realism. This tension between formal structure and artistic interpretation allows the artist to play with perception. It encourages the viewer to actively engage with the artwork's construction. The print invites us to consider how landscape art not only represents a place but also constructs a particular vision or interpretation of it.