Artwork
Country House with a Ditch
Country House with a Ditch is an ink print by the Baroque artist Johannes van Doetechum the Elder. It is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Country House with a Ditch is a 1676 print created by Johannes van Doetecum the Elder, combining etching and engraving techniques. This Dutch artwork presents a serene rural scene, characterized by meticulous linework and depth, typical of the period's etching practices.
Subject & Meaning
The print depicts a tranquil village setting: a thatched-roof country house, a water-filled ditch with a cow, sheep, and dog, trees along a path, and a larger house in the background, with birds in flight. The scene conveys a sense of everyday rural life.
Technique & Style
Van Doetecum employed etching retouched with engraving, utilizing fine lines to achieve a three-dimensional effect through light and shadow. This method was standard for detailed prints of the time, emphasizing the artist's technical skill.
History & Provenance
Created in 1676, the work reflects Van Doetecum's collaborative studio practice in Haarlem, often involving his brother and sons in series production. His oeuvre includes genre scenes after Pieter Bruegel the Elder and Dutch city maps.
Context
As a Dutch engraver-cartographer active from 1578, Van Doetecum's work sits within the broader tradition of 17th-century Dutch printmaking, known for its attention to detail and everyday life depictions.
Artist & collection
Artist
Johannes van Doetechum the Elder
Joannes van Doetecum the Elder (1530 – 1605) was a Dutch engraver-cartographer known for his etched works after genre scenes by Pieter Bruegel the Elder and maps of various cities in the Netherlands.
