View of the Diemerdijk with a milkman and cottages ('Het melkboertje') 1781 - 1836

William Young Ottley made this etching of the Diemerdijk, a Dutch landscape, sometime between 1771 and 1836. Ottley employed the printmaking technique of etching, pressing an image onto paper from an incised metal plate. This was an established, commercial artistic practice, distinct from the unique gesture of painting. The soft tonality of the print belies the labor-intensive process used to create it. Each line was manually etched into the metal. The effect is a delicate scene of rural labor and life: a milkman with his cart, cottages, trees, and fields, all rendered with fine detail. This close attention suggests a conscious aesthetic choice, a deliberate engagement with everyday subject matter. 'View of the Diemerdijk' offers a glimpse into the social fabric of 18th and 19th century Netherlands. By focusing on the techniques, materials, and social context of this etching, we gain a greater appreciation for the artistry and labor involved in its creation. It challenges us to reconsider traditional hierarchies between the so-called 'fine' and 'applied' arts, recognizing the value and significance of printmaking as a skilled and culturally relevant practice.