Johannes van Doetechum the Elder
1565
ink
paper
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
The Homecoming of Tobias is a 1565 ink by Johannes van Doetechum the Elder, a Renaissance work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This image shows a busy town with a river cutting through it. People are walking, riding horses, and working near the water. Buildings with steep roofs crowd the scene, and a large church stands in the distance. The sky is full of clouds, and a big tree leans over a house on the right. Notice how the artist packed tiny details into every corner—even the distant hills have tiny figures. The Latin text at the bottom hints at a story about a son returning home. Check out the technique: etching to see how artists like this made sharp lines with acid.
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
