Artwork
Riverscape with Rocks on the Right: pl.3
Riverscape with Rocks on the Right: pl.3 is an ink print by the Baroque artist Melchior Küsel. It dates from 1660 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art. Riverscape with Rocks on the Right: pl.
About this work
Overview
The overall tone balances dark, shadowed ground with a brighter atmospheric backdrop.
Riverscape with Rocks on the Right: pl.3 is an etching executed by the German printmaker Melchior Küsel in 1660. The work presents a compact landscape composition in which a rugged mountain dominates the right margin, a sinuous river winds through a densely foliaged forest, and a light, cloud‑dotted sky stretches above. The overall tone balances dark, shadowed ground with a brighter atmospheric backdrop.
Subject & Meaning
The image juxtaposes the solidity of a jagged, sharply incised mountain with the fluidity of water and the softness of leafy trees. This contrast may reflect a Baroque interest in the tension between nature’s harsh and gentle aspects, inviting viewers to contemplate the interplay of stability and movement within a single riverine scene.
Technique & Style
Küsel achieved the intricate surface texture through fine, controlled lines typical of 17th‑century etching. By drawing directly onto a copper plate with acid‑resistant ground, he created varied line densities that render the rocks, bark, and water with a near‑three‑dimensional quality. The layering of ink in the plate’s recessed areas produces the deep shadows that define the foreground while preserving a luminous sky.
History & Provenance
Created in 1660, the print belongs to a series of landscape studies by Küsel, who was active in the mid‑Baroque period in Germany. While specific ownership records for this particular impression are scarce, the work has appeared in several catalogues of German etchings and is held in public collections that specialize in early modern printmaking.
Artist & collection
