Johannes van Doetechum the Elder
1556
ink
paper
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Solicitudo Rustica (Rustic Concerns) is a 1556 ink by Johannes van Doetechum the Elder, a Renaissance work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This black-and-white print shows a busy countryside scene. A winding river cuts through the landscape, with small farms, houses, and fields along its banks. People work in the fields, while sheep and other animals graze. In the distance, a town sits near a mountain range, and a lone tree stands on the right side of the image. The title *Solicitudo Rustica* suggests this isn’t just a pretty view—it’s about the hard work of rural life. The artist packed in tiny details, like the tiny figures and buildings, to show daily life in the 1500s. If you like this style, look up etching to see how artists like this made prints.
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.
See the richer artist page
