This splendid mid-18th-century Dutch landscape painting depicts a view with travellers before distant rolling hills.
Amid the long shadows of early evening, a travelling party rests by welcoming retreat. A mother, embraced by her child, extends an arm for payment - perhaps a fee for lodgings or simply desirous of a charitable act. A distant village, hazy and tinted, is nestled into the middle ground, while beyond, the picturesque topography extends towards a fortified hill.
The exquisite rendering of this idyllic setting is steeped in the rich heritage of the low countries. Numerous Dutch artists in the 18th century looked back to the 17th century for inspiration - proud of their forebears and keen to maintain a sense of national identity. Large skies, winding rivers and expansive views were embedded in their DNA.
During the 17th century, flourishing Dutch cities such as Amsterdam and Haarlem were alive with new wealth. Merchants flooded in from overseas and created a buoyant economy perfect for the arts. But unlike many other European cities, painters working here were not constrained by the wishes of the Catholic Church - hence the emergence of secular art, such as landscapes depicting everyday rural life.
The Golden Age of Dutch art set the benchmark for centuries to come and formed an integral part of a budding artist’s tuition well into the 20th century. As you can imagine, this impressive period of creative endeavour inspired the proceeding Dutch masters of the 18th and 19th centuries, who continued to work in this popular style to satisfy demand.
This painting is a result of that - produced around 1750, it’s modelled on earlier works, particularly those of Jan Both (1610/1618-1652), whose tranquil evening vistas remain a triumph of their age.
Held in a later frame.
Medium: Oil on panel
Overall size: 25” x 18½” / 64cm x 47cm
Year of creation: c. 1750
Provenance: Private collection, Germany.
Condition: Cleaned. Areas of fine and settled craquelure, as you would expect. The paint layer is stable. Frame in good condition with minor age-related wear.
Our reference: BRV2113
