Familie zit aan waterkant vlakbij ruïne

About this artwork

verzamelaarsmerk, verso linksonder, gestempeld: Lugt 10

Art Historical Context

**Familie zit aan waterkantbij ruïne** (Family Sits by the Water's Edge Nearins), an enchanting engraving by Benedetto Montagna around 1515–1520, captures a serene family moment amid a picturesque landscape. Montagna, a Venetian Renaissance artist (c. 1480–1544) and son of painter Bartolomeo Montagna was renowned for his intricate engravings that blended the lyrical naturalism of northern Italian art with emerging High Renaissance ideals. This small-scale work (156 × 109 mm) exemplifies his skill in translating pastoral scenes onto metal plates, evoking the harmonious beauty of Veneto countryside. The composition, inferred from its title, likely depicts a family resting waterside beside ancient ruins—a motif symbolizing the interplay of human life, nature, and the passage of time, popular in early 16th-century prints. Engravings like this were revolutionary for their time, allowing detailed imagery to be reproduced affordably and widely distributed across Europe, democratizing art beyond paintings for elite collectors. Bearing a collector's mark (Lugt 10) stamped verso lower left—associated with the esteemed Printroom of the Rijksmuseum—this piece boasts impeccable provenance, highlighting its enduring value in museum collections. A gem of Renaissance printmaking, it invites visitors to ponder the quiet poetry of everyday life framed by antiquity.