Artwork
Landscape with a Road to a Castle on an Island in a River
Landscape with a Road to a Castle on an Island in a River is a print by the Renaissance artist Hanns Lautensack. It dates from 1554 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.
- Accession no.
- 1993.221
About this work
Overview
This print, titled 'Landscape with a Road to a Castle on an Island in a River', is a vertically oriented etching by Hanns Lautensack, depicting a winding river, a castle on an island, and steep hills covered in trees.
Subject & Meaning
The image is characterized by the presence of human activity, which serves to highlight the landscape's features rather than tell a story. A castle on an island and a road suggest human presence and interaction with the natural environment.
Technique & Style
Lautensack's use of a vertical format emphasizes the strong verticals of the mountainous terrain, creating a sense of height and compressing the sky. This compositional choice was characteristic of artists working in the Danube River valley.
Context
The artist's work is associated with the Danube valley, a region that influenced the style and composition of his landscapes. The vertical format used here is a distinctive feature of this regional artistic tradition.
Artist & collection
Artist
Hanns Lautensack (sometimes erroneously referred to as Hans Sebald Lautensack) (1524 – c.
![View of Nuremberg from the West [center section], by Hanns Lautensack](https://artifactworldgallery.com/img/hanns-lautensack--view-of-nuremberg-from-the-west-center-section--12422dca269411c0-w320.webp)
