This charming 17th-century landscape painting by Dutch artist Pieter Nolpe (c.1613-c.1652) depicts a twisting river amid undulant scenery. In the foreground, a ferryman is unloading cattle from a small boat while another steadies the craft with his foot. Beyond them, the hills rise and fall before culminating in a distant peak.

Works by Pieter Nolpe (1613-1653) are hard to come by and he was an accomplished artist. Note the diagonal from the top left down that brings weight and depth to the composition. As the river winds on, the layers reveal themselves.

The panel bears a Christie’s stencil on the reverse along with an old wax seal. Housed in a later frame.

Learn more about Pieter Nolpe in our directory.

Medium: Oil on panel
Overall size: 18” x 16” / 46cm x 41cm
Year of creation: c. 1640
Condition: Areas of overpainting. Frame with some light wear.
Artist’s auction highlight: £17,549 achieved for an oil painting in 2007.