The Path through the Rock
1628
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
About the artist
Artist
Herman van Swanevelt
Herman van Swanevelt (1603–1655) was a Dutch artist, born in Woerden.
See the richer artist page1628
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
The Path through the Rock is a 1628 ink by Herman van Swanevelt, a Baroque work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This black-and-white print shows a winding path cutting through a rocky hillside. A lone tree stands near the top, its branches bare and twisted. Below, a few tiny figures walk along the path, their shapes simple but clear. The ground is covered in rough, textured lines that look like scratched metal—no smooth colors here, just deep shadows and sharp edges. The artist used a technique where ink is pushed into grooves carved into a metal plate, then wiped away, leaving only the raised lines to print. That’s why the whole scene feels like it’s made of scratches and shadows. Want to see more like this? Check out etching for how it works.
Herman van Swanevelt (1603–1655) was a Dutch artist, born in Woerden.
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