Goats, from Various Animals - Nicolaes Berchem

Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Potter Palmer

"Goats, from Various Animals" by Nicolaes Berchem (17th century) Etching in black ink on ivory laid paper.

Commentary

"Goats, from Various Animals" by Nicolaes Berchem (17th century) invites a close look at how form and feeling work together. The print-based method rewards close viewing, where line, texture, and contrast do most of th e expressive work. Themes to notice include etching. This piece is held in the source collection's Prints and Drawings collection. Nicolaes Berchem is the artist behind this work. A useful anchor for reading the piece: Nicolaes Berchem Dutch, 1620-1683. The work is cataloged within a Holland cultural context. How to look at this work: It is cataloged as etching, which gives a clue to how the museum frames the object. Its medium (Etching in black ink on ivory laid paper) affects texture, durability, and how detail reads at different distances. Its listed dimensions (Plate: 10.1 × 11 cm (4 × 4 3/8 in.); Sheet: 12.4 × 13.3 cm (4 15/16 × 5 1/4 in.)) suggest how intimate or monumental it may feel in person. Subject cues from the catalog include etching. Compare this reading with the museum record at the source collection: https://www.artic.edu/artworks/13009

Sources: Art Institute of Chicago; Art Institute of Chicago / Public Records; Art Institute of Chicago Collection Data