Cottage on a Hill
1655
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
About the artist
1655
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Cottage on a Hill is a 1655 ink by Jacob van Ruisdael, a Baroque work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This image shows a dark, tangled forest on a hillside. Twisted trees fill most of the scene, their branches knotted and dense. In the distance, a small building sits alone near the edge of the woods, with a faint path leading to it. The sky above is barely visible, just a thin strip of light near the top. The artist used sharp lines to create texture—every leaf and branch is defined with careful strokes. This isn’t paint; it’s an etching, where the image is carved into a metal plate. Next, look up etching, drypoint to see how this technique works.
