Research Information System
International Conference of Doctoral Students in the Field of Visual Arts “Symposium”, Timisoara, Romania, 20 - 21 June 2024
Hercules Segers, born in
1589 in the Netherlands, is an artist particularly known for his experimental
landscape prints. His works frequently feature dominant images of rocky slopes,
deep valleys, and mountains, often depicted in an atmosphere that could be
described as spooky. The experimental methods and techniques he employed in his
prints have led to his recognition as one of the most extraordinary artists of
the Dutch Golden Age. His practice of printing on painted papers, fabrics, and
canvases, and sometimes adding color post-printing, were pioneering for his
time. Additionally, he ventured beyond the classical methods by experimenting
with various techniques. He is acknowledged as the inventor of lift-ground
(sugar-lift) and three-tone etching. During his era, it was generally accepted
that all prints from a single plate should look identical. However, Segers
produced numerous variations from the same printing plate, rendering each
variation a unique artwork rather than part of an edition. Research and
analysis of his extant works suggest that Segers was more concerned the
creative process itself than in the completion of the artwork. This study
examines Segers’s approach to landscape subject, his experimental applications
in printmaking, and his creative process.