Winter was painted by Adriaen van de Venne in 1625-01-01.

What movement is Winter?

Winter is associated with Dutch Golden Age.

Artwork

Winter

Winter is an oil painting by the Dutch Golden Age artist Adriaen van de Venne. It dates from 1625 and is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum.

About this work

Technique & Style

The use of oil on panel was standard practice for Dutch painters of the early seventeenth century, allowing for fine detail and luminous color effects.

Winter is an oil painting on panel executed in 1625 by Adriaen van de Venne. The work measures 14.6 cm in height and 37.1 cm in width, indicating a small-scale, horizontally oriented format. Its classification as a landscape painting reflects van de Venne's engagement with the genre, while the depiction of a tree suggests a naturalistic focus typical of Dutch landscape traditions of the period.

The use of oil on panel was standard practice for Dutch painters of the early seventeenth century, allowing for fine detail and luminous color effects.

History & Provenance

The painting Winter by Adriaen van de Venne, created in 1625, is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum. The work is executed in oil on panel and depicts a landscape featuring a tree. Prior to its current location, the painting was owned by Daniel Franken.

Overview

Adriaen van de Venne’s 1625 oil painting titled Winter presents a lively winter landscape on a frozen river. The canvas captures townspeople bundled in heavy coats, engaged in conversation, skating, and walking among stark, leaf‑less trees beneath a muted sky. A distant town with tall structures rises on the horizon, grounding the scene in a recognizable Dutch setting.

Subject & Meaning

The composition centers on everyday winter activity, highlighting communal interaction in a harsh season. Figures are shown in various poses, some holding sticks, others gliding on ice, suggesting both work and leisure. The bare trees, while devoid of foliage, convey a subtle vitality, reflecting the resilience of life amid cold and the social bonds that sustain it.

Context

The painting reflects early‑17th‑century Dutch interest in seasonal cycles and the social customs of winter. Such scenes were popular among patrons who valued depictions of local life and moral undertones, aligning with broader trends in Dutch genre painting that celebrated ordinary activities as subjects worthy of artistic attention.

Artist & collection

Artist

Adriaen van de Venne

Adriaen Pietersz van de Venne (1589 – 12 November 1662), was a versatile Dutch Golden Age painter of allegories, genre subjects, and portraits, as well as a miniaturist, book illustrator, designer of political satires, and versifier.