Nocturnal Landscape with River Fishermen outside City Walls
1600
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
1600
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
This print shows a dark, moonlit scene with a river winding through a city. Two men in the foreground fish by lantern light, their boat half-hidden in the water. Behind them, a stone bridge arches over the river, and buildings with towers peek through trees. The trees are thick with tangled branches, and the sky is faintly lit, giving everything a ghostly glow. The artist used shading to create deep shadows and texture, making the scene feel alive with quiet movement. This is an engraving, which means the lines were carved into metal before being printed. Next, look up etching to see how this technique works.
