Rammen 1636 - 1705

Editor: Here we have "Rammen", an engraving made sometime between 1636 and 1705 by an anonymous artist, housed here at the Rijksmuseum. It depicts a herd of sheep in a pasture. The detailing is exquisite given the medium. What’s your take on it? Curator: The magic truly lies in understanding how these images circulated. Engravings like this one weren't precious objects, hung on walls by the wealthy. Instead, we must understand their functionality. This "Rammen" print would have served a didactic role, or, at the very least, an instructional one. Consider how its mass reproducibility allowed for wider accessibility of landscape art, and even contributed to how artists in other mediums visualized pastoral settings. Editor: I hadn't considered that angle at all. So, the real importance lies not just in the "art," but in how easily accessible prints democratized images, influencing wider artistic and cultural values? Curator: Precisely! What labour went into the creation of the print itself? And, crucially, what kind of relationship did viewers at the time have with that material production? These prints weren't simply about aesthetics. They played an integral role in constructing visual knowledge. The materials are important, but also the process, the cost, and who had access. These parameters tell a lot about the place of this particular artwork at its moment in history. Editor: Thinking about the means of production opens a window into the era and expands what “art” can even mean. That's a fascinating approach to something that, on the surface, seems like just a simple pastoral scene. Curator: Indeed. Materiality reframes our understanding. Editor: I'll definitely look at art through a different lens now! Thank you.