Wheatfield 1648

Editor: Here we have Jacob van Ruisdael's "Wheatfield," an etching. I’m struck by the artist's labor involved in creating so much detail with such delicate lines, and the paper substrate itself, which has aged so well. What do you see in this piece? Curator: I'm interested in the material conditions of 17th-century Dutch landscape prints like this. Consider the paper; linen rag was a primary component. The availability and cost of this material would influence the production of prints like this. Editor: That’s a perspective I hadn't considered before. Thank you. Curator: Thinking about the economic landscape helps us understand the art’s creation.