Artwork
"Maey Veeghde-pot" and "Pannetje Vet"
"Maey Veeghde-pot" and "Pannetje Vet" is an ink print by the Renaissance artist Johannes van Doetechum the Elder. It dates from 1564 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art. Around 1564 the Dutch printmaker Johannes van Doetecum the Elder produced a paired etching entitled *Maey Veeghde‑pot* and *Pannetje Vet*.
About this work
Overview
Around 1564 the Dutch printmaker Johannes van Doetecum the Elder produced a paired etching entitled *Maey Veeghde‑pot* and *Pannetje Vet*. Both images are modestly sized, executed in black ink on paper, and present everyday kitchen containers that would have been familiar in mid‑sixteenth‑century Dutch households.
Subject & Meaning
The two plates focus on a milk‑pot and a small butter‑pan, respectively, offering a quiet glimpse into domestic routines. By isolating these utilitarian objects, van Doetecum highlights the material culture of ordinary life, a theme common in the genre scenes that circulated in the Low Countries during the period.
Technique & Style
Van Doetecum employed a fine line etching technique, allowing delicate shading and precise contours. The compositions are rendered in oval formats, set against a plain, lightly hatched background that emphasizes the vessels without distraction. The monochrome palette underscores the work’s documentary character.
History & Provenance
Born in Deventer, van Doetecum worked there before moving to Haarlem in 1578, where he continued his printmaking career. He frequently collaborated with his brother Lucas, and later involved his sons in the workshop, suggesting that the *Maey Veeghde‑pot* and *Pannetje Vet* were produced within a family‑run print studio.
Context
These etchings belong to a broader output that includes reproductions of Pieter Bruegel the Elder’s genre scenes and detailed city maps of the Netherlands. Their focus on everyday objects reflects the Renaissance interest in realism and the growing market for prints that documented both urban and domestic environments.
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.
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