Artwork
Walled Farm
Walled Farm is an ink print by the Baroque artist Claes Jansz Visscher. It dates from 1612 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Walled Farm is an etching created by Claes Janszoon Visscher in 1612. It is a black-and-white print depicting a serene rural scene.
Subject & Meaning
The etching shows a farm enclosed by a low stone wall, protecting the buildings from the water in the foreground. The scene includes three thatched-roof houses with simple doors and windows, surrounded by trees and a few birds in flight.
Technique & Style
Visscher used fine lines to convey texture, capturing the roughness of the thatch and the smoothness of the stone wall. The detailed rendering reflects the artist's skill as a draughtsman and engraver.
History & Provenance
Visscher was a prominent figure in Amsterdam's printmaking and mapmaking community, founding a business that continued through his descendants. Walled Farm dates to a period when printmaking flourished in the Dutch Republic.
Context
The etching reflects the era's interest in landscape and topographical detail, capturing a quiet moment in rural life.
Artist & collection
Artist
Claes Janszoon Visscher (1587 – 19 June 1652) was a Dutch Golden Age draughtsman, engraver, mapmaker, and publisher.
