The Luttekepoort in Harderwijk in the Winter
1664
From the collection of Statens Museum for Kunst
This painting shows a snowy town square with bare trees framing the scene. A big brick church with two tall spires stands in the center. People in winter clothes walk around, some skating on a frozen pond in front of the church. The sky is dark and stormy, making the buildings look heavy and solid. The artist paid close attention to how light hits the snow and buildings, creating strong contrasts. This was a common trick in Baroque art to make scenes feel dramatic. If you like this style, look up Baroque.
