Gehoor (Hearing) - Pieter Pickaert

A Dutch mezzotint from the early 18th century, this print depicts a man listening intently, serving as an allegory for the sense of hearing.

This mezzotint, titled 'Gehoor' (Hearing), is part of a series depicting the five senses. Pieter Pickaert, a Dutch engraver active during the late seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries, employs the mezzotint technique to achieve a soft, tonal quality. This method allows for subtle gradations of light and shadow, which define the form of the central figure and the objects upon the table.

The composition features a man in a wide-brimmed hat, leaning forward with an expression of focused attention. He holds a metal jug, his posture suggesting he is listening intently to a sound beyond the frame. The inclusion of a small, cylindrical object on the table adds a tactile element to the scene. The dark, atmospheric background pushes the figure into the foreground, creating a sense of immediate presence. The title, inscribed at the base, identifies the subject as an allegory of the sense of hearing.

Pickaert's work reflects the interest in genre subjects that characterised Dutch art of the period. By focusing on a single sense, the artist engages with a tradition of allegorical representation that was popular among collectors and print enthusiasts. The print demonstrates the technical skill required to manipulate the copper plate, using the rocker to create the burr that holds the ink. This results in the velvety blacks and luminous highlights that are characteristic of the medium. The print is a study in human reaction and sensory experience, captured through the medium of printmaking. It offers a glimpse into the domestic and allegorical themes that occupied artists of the Dutch Republic, providing a quiet, contemplative image that relies on gesture and expression rather than complex narrative action.