“This etching by Jules-Ferdinand Jacquemart from 1868 beautifully contrasts the bustling city with the tranquil countryside, showcasing his masterful precision in printmaking.”
Jules-Ferdinand Jacquemart, a master etcher, created "City and Country" in 1868. This piece showcases his remarkable skill in capturing intricate details and atmospheric effects through the delicate lines of etching. Jacquemart was known for his precise and refined approach to printmaking, often depicting landscapes, architectural views, and portraits. While many of his contemporaries focused on oil painting, as seen in works like "The Song of the Lark" or "Barks Fleeing Before the Storm," Jacquemart distinguished himself through his dedication to printmaking. His earlier etchings, such as "Mementos of a Trip" (1862) and "The Apse of Notre-Dame, Paris" (1863), demonstrate a similar meticulousness that he brought to "City and Country." This particular etching offers a nuanced study of contrasting environments, inviting viewers to consider the relationship between urban and natural spaces, a theme that resonates across many artistic periods.
- Artist
- Johannes Vermeer
- Date
- 1868
- Medium
- Etching
- Location
- The Metropolitan Museum of Art
- Dimensions
- Sheet: 5 1/2 x 8 1/16 in. (14 x 20.5 cm) Plate: 4 5/16 x 6 5/16 in. (11 x 16.1 cm)
- Collection
- Drawings and Prints
- Credit line
- Bequest of Phyllis Massar, 2011
What to Notice
Five details hide in plain sight. Here’s where to look.

The dense cluster of buildings on the left
The open, expansive sky above the landscape
Subtle variations in light and shadow
Delicate lines defining architectural elements
1 more detail is waiting.
See all 5 in Art Whisper →Stand in front of it and listen
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Johannes Vermeer
1632–1675 · Dutch RepublicVermeer painted just 34 known works, yet became one of history's most beloved masters of light.
Further Works by Vermeer
A Maid Asleep
1656 · The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Young Woman with a Water Pitcher
1657 · The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Young Woman with a Lute
1662 · The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Study of a Young Woman
1665 · The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Allegory of the Catholic Faith
1670 · The Metropolitan Museum of Art
A Young Woman Reading
The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Christ in the House of Martha and Mary
1650 · Scottish National Gallery
Diana and her Nymphs
1650 · Mauritshuis
More from Baroque
More works to explore
Beyond Vermeer and Baroque: works from the same years, and from the other movements City and Country belongs to.
Same movement · Dutch Golden Age painting
Anna van der Aar (born 1576/77, died after 1626)
Frans Hals · 1626 · The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Same era · 1850s–1880s
Barks Fleeing Before the Storm
Léon-Victor Dupré · 1870 · Art Institute of Chicago
Same movement · Dutch Golden Age painting
Lieven Willemsz van Coppenol (born about 1599, died 1671 or later)
Rembrandt · 1626 · The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Same era · 1850s–1880s
The Backgammon Players
Philip Webb · 1861 · The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Same era · 1850s–1880s
Paris Street; Rainy Day
Kawabata Gyokushō · 1877 · Art Institute of Chicago
Same era · 1850s–1880s
On the Bank of the Seine, Bennecourt
Claude Monet · 1868 · Art Institute of Chicago
Same era · 1850s–1880s
Patio of the Palace of the Duke of Alba, Seville: Raimundo de Madrazo y Garreta painting
Mariano Fortuny Marsal · 1868 · Hispanic Society of America
Same era · 1850s–1880s
The Valley of Les Puits-Noir
Gustave Courbet · 1868 · Art Institute of Chicago
Same era · 1850s–1880s
Approaching Storm
William Hart · 1867 · Gilcrease Museum
Same era · 1850s–1880s
Mountain View at Bormio (from Switzerland 1869 Sketchbook)
John Singer Sargent · 1869 · The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Same era · 1850s–1880s
Boy with Pitcher (La Régalade)
Édouard Manet · 1866 · Art Institute of Chicago
Same era · 1850s–1880s
Gustave Boyer (b. 1840) in a Straw Hat
Paul Cézanne · 1870 · The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Same era · 1850s–1880s
The Banks of the Marne in Winter
Camille Pissarro · 1866 · Art Institute of Chicago
Same era · 1850s–1880s
The Little Shepherdess
Jean-François Millet · 1870 · Art Institute of Chicago




