Artwork
Landscape by moonlight
Landscape by moonlight is an oil painting by the Dutch Golden Age artist Aert van der Neer. It dates from 1650 and is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum. Created circa 1650, this oil painting presents a quiet nocturnal countryside illuminated by moonlight.
About this work
Technique & Style
Created in 1650, Landscape by moonlight is executed in oil paint applied to a panel support.
Created in 1650, Landscape by moonlight is executed in oil paint applied to a panel support. The work measures 30 cm in height and 42.5 cm in width. As a landscape painting by Aert van der Neer, the piece exemplifies the artist's focus on nocturnal scenes, utilizing the oil medium to render the atmospheric effects of moonlight over the terrain.
The combination of oil on panel was a standard technique for Dutch landscape painters of this period, allowing for detailed handling of light and shadow within the composition.
History & Provenance
The oil painting titled Landscape by moonlight was created by Aert van der Neer in 1650. Executed on a panel support, the work measures 30 cm in height and 42.5 cm in width. It is currently held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam.
The sources do not provide specific details regarding the original commission, the artist's creation process, or the complete chain of ownership prior to its acquisition by the museum.
Landscape by moonlight, painted by Aert van der Neer in 1650, is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum. The work is catalogued as part of that museum's holdings of Dutch landscape painting. No specific inventory or accession number is recorded in the available sources, and no exhibition history is documented.
The painting is executed in oil on panel, measuring 30 cm in height by 42.5 cm in width.
Overview
Created circa 1650, this oil painting presents a quiet nocturnal countryside illuminated by moonlight. The composition centers on a modest stretch of water framed by a few scattered trees, all bathed in a cool, diffused glow that conveys a tranquil atmosphere. The work exemplifies the Dutch Golden Age’s fascination with night scenes and the subtle effects of natural light.
Subject & Meaning
The image captures a rural landscape at night, emphasizing the stillness of a waterway reflected in the moon’s pale light. The sparse vegetation and calm horizon suggest a moment of pause in everyday life, inviting contemplation of nature’s quiet rhythms when the day’s activity has ceased.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Aert van der Neer, or Aernout or Artus (c. 1603 – 9 November 1677), was a landscape painter of the Dutch Golden Age, who specialized in small night scenes lit only by moonlight and fires, and snowy winter landscapes,…
