Broadside with a Barge Sailing on Ice

Art Historical Context

Created in 1605 by the Dutch printmaker Christoffel van Sichem I, *Broadside with a Barge Sailing on Ice* is a striking example of early seventeenth-century print culture. Combining an engraving with letterpress text on a single sheet of ivory laid paper, the work was designed for wide public distribution. Such broadsides often served as both news reports and visual entertainment, unusual events or seasonal spectacles for an increasingly literate audience. The subject—a barge gliding across frozen water—reflects the harsh winters of the Little Ice Age that gripped northern Europe at the time. In the Netherlands, frozen canals and rivers became temporary highways, and ice sailing emerged as both a practical means of transport and a popular pastime. Van Sichem’s elongated horizontal composition emphasizes the vast, icy expanse, inviting viewers to marvel at human ingenuity amid nature’s extremes. As an engraving, the print allowed for fine detail and multiple impressions, making vivid imagery accessible beyond elite circles. Today housed in the Art Institute of Chicago’s Department of Prints and Drawings, this rare survival offers a vivid glimpse into Dutch daily life and the communicative power of early modern printmaking.