Stående vædder og et liggende får 1620 - 1683

Curator: So, here we have "Stående vædder og et liggende får," or "Standing ram and a reclining sheep," an etching by Nicolaes Berchem, likely created sometime between 1620 and 1683. Editor: My initial thought? Rustic charm meets quirky elegance! There’s something about the contrast – the ram's almost regal stance and the sheep just completely zonked out… Makes me wonder what they've been up to! Curator: Berchem, known for his landscapes and animal studies, was fascinated with the materiality of the rural lifestyle. This etching really demonstrates how the Dutch Golden Age artists integrated close observations with established aesthetic frameworks. Notice the labor evident in the rendering of textures. Editor: Absolutely. The rendering gives such tactile appeal! The ram’s wool looks so thick, almost itchy, but still comforting. And those horns – talk about character. You can feel the scratch of the etching tool on the copperplate. Curator: And it’s precisely that connection to craft that draws me in. The way Berchem uses line weight to define form and light… the etching technique was accessible and easily disseminated, effectively creating a market for art with broader audiences. Editor: Yes, art for the masses, even if those masses were primarily the burgeoning middle class wanting to project a little pastoral chic! I imagine it hanging in a merchant’s home. What I find fascinating is that these are quite 'real' sheep. There is something unsentimental and direct in the way he captures them, but there's a sensitivity there too, don’t you think? Curator: Indeed. There's a kind of plain-spokenness that undercuts any idealization. But it also underscores the value placed on agrarian labor. It's more than just aesthetics; it's about how value is constructed and expressed materially. Editor: So, on one level, we see literal sheep… and on another, we're getting a glimpse of 17th-century social structures through the lens of art and its production. Layers, within the lines of a simple etching! Curator: Precisely. Berchem gives us an enduring image that prompts questions about who and what are deemed worthy of artistic representation. Editor: Well said! It reminds us how deeply entwined art is with culture and the way materials and processes shape our vision. It’s an enduring print that has stood the test of time, which is pretty amazing to consider.