Artwork
Farms with Draw Well
Farms with Draw Well 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
Created in 1676, *Farms with Draw Well* is a black‑and‑white print by the Dutch engraver‑cartographer Johannes van Doetecum the Elder. Executed as an etching that was later refined with engraving, the work presents a tranquil rural scene centered on a communal well, rendered with meticulous attention to architectural and landscape details.
Subject & Meaning
The composition shows a modest village cluster of thatched houses and barns arranged around a central draw well, from which a rope and bucket hang. Figures are sparsely placed: a kneeling individual at the well, a passerby, and a laborer leaning on a tool, suggesting everyday activity within a quiet agrarian setting.
Technique & Style
Van Doetecum employed the etching process, allowing acid to bite fine lines into a metal plate, then enhanced the image with hand‑engraved strokes for greater definition. This combination yields delicate textures—such as the stone of the well and the thatch of roofs—while preserving a clear, topographical quality characteristic of his cartographic background.
History & Provenance
Born in Deventer, Johannes van Doetecum the Elder was known for reproducing genre scenes after Pieter Bruegel the Elder and for mapping Dutch towns. He settled in Haarlem in 1578 and often collaborated with his brother Lucas. The print reflects his dual interest in landscape depiction and precise, map‑like rendering, typical of his late‑seventeenth‑century output.
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.
