View of the River Rhine
1638
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
1638
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
This black-and-white scene shows a river with boats and a rocky shore. In the foreground, a few people are gathered near a small boat, some standing, some crouching. Behind them, a town with buildings and a castle clings to a hillside, while a mountain rises in the distance. The artist used fine lines to show every detail, from the waves to the folds in the people’s clothes. This style was common in etchings, where ink is pressed into a metal plate. Next, check out the technique: etching to see how artists like this made their marks.
