View of Amersfoort c. 1625 - 1630

Hercules Segers created this washed etching, "View of Amersfoort", using a unique printing process. The composition is strikingly horizontal, dominated by muted, monochromatic tones that give the landscape a hazy, dreamlike quality. Segers divides the scene into distinct bands: the foreground's undulating terrain leads to the flat plane of the city, all under a vast, pale sky. The linear perspective is subtly distorted, compressing space and flattening the town against the horizon. Segers was interested in challenging traditional printmaking by treating each impression as a unique work. The textures, achieved through unconventional methods, disrupt any sense of smooth, idealized space. This aligns with a broader artistic interest in questioning the stability of representation itself. Ultimately, Segers' print pushes the boundaries of its medium, reflecting a desire to move beyond conventional landscapes to create something more evocative and abstract.