11. Herman Saftleven
(1609-1685)
Landscape with a Man on a Donkey

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Saftleven, Landscape with a Man

Landscape with a Man on a Donkey

Etching, 1627, from a set of Six Landscapes, Bartsch 13, Hollstein 26 ii/ii, 83 x 118 mm. Fine, sharp impression with the distant landscape clear and complete and only a few areas of dry printing in the dark shadows at the lower left, on laid paper with thread margins, the platemark inky at the upper corners. Saftleven was no world traveler, being born in Rotterdam and spending most of his life in Utrecht, about 30 to 40 miles away. He did, however, while a young man, take a trip along the Rhine River, perhaps his Wanderjahr, and that is almost certainly the source of this rocky landscape with its riverside village. Though the print is small, the view is vast, and the etching is clear and assured, if perhaps a bit over-bitten in the dark shadows, and the light and shade are handsomely managed. The experience of the trip, and the art resulting from it surely gave Saftleven something to remember after his return to the flatlands. Prints from this set are quite rare and have commanded high prices at auction.

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