La Terre, from The Elements
17th century
Medium
Etching; third state
Dimensions
sheet: 3 1/8 x 7 9/16 in. (8 x 19.2 cm)
Classification
Prints
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
The Elisha Whittelsey Collection, The Elisha Whittelsey Fund, 1963
Accession Number
63.621.7(2)
Tags
Art Historical Context
In the heart of the Dutch Golden Age, Reinier Nooms, known Zeeman ("sailor") for his seafaring adventures, crafted *La Terre* (The Earth), part of his evocative *The Elements* series. This 17-century etching captures the essence of the terrestrial world through intricate landscapes dotted with trees and human figures likely evoking rural life and the bounty of nature. Nooms, a master etcher renowned for marine scenes, here shifts focus to earthy motifs, blending observation with poetic symbolism in a compact sheet measuring just 3 1/8 x 7 9/16 inches. As a third-state impression from The Elis...
About the Artist
Reinier Nooms, called Zeeman
Reinier Nooms, known as Zeeman ("sailor" in Dutch), was a prominent Dutch maritime painter, draftsman, and etcher of the Golden Age, born around 1623 or 1624 in Amsterdam and dying there in 1664 at about age 40. Before turning to art around 1643, he led a rough life as a professional seaman, which informed his unparalleled accuracy in depicting ships, ports, naval battles, and coastal scenes—knowl...