Artwork
Smell
Smell is an ink print by the Renaissance artist Jan Pietersz Saenredam. It dates from 1595 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
- Inscription
- Inscribed:recto: in plate, below image, at left: 3; in plate, below image: two lines of Latin verse; verso: at lower left in graphite in later hand: B 97
- Markings
- Marked:recto: none; verso: National Gallery of Art
About this work
Overview
Smell is an engraving on laid paper created by Jan Pietersz. Saenredam around 1595. It is a characteristic example of the Dutch Northern Mannerist period, known for intricate detail and symbolic content.
Subject & Meaning
The engraving depicts a man and woman holding flowers to their noses, lost in thought. The Latin text at the bottom suggests the image is an allegory, conveying a narrative about the sense of smell rather than a straightforward portrait.
Technique & Style
Saenredam achieved depth and shading through cross-hatching, a technique involving closely spaced, intersecting lines. This method allowed for detailed textures and subtle gradations of tone without the use of color, exemplifying the engraving's precise and layered lines.
Own this work as a print
Artist & collection
Artist
Jan Pieterszoon (abbr. Pietersz.) Saenredam (c. 1565 – 6 April 1607) was a Dutch Northern Mannerist painter, printmaker in engraving, and cartographer, and father of the painter of church interiors, Pieter Jansz…
