Artwork
Winter Scene (Horse-Sleigh on the Ice)
Winter Scene (Horse-Sleigh on the Ice) is an oil painting by the Biedermeier artist Andries Vermeulen. It dates from 1802 and is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The composition focuses on this everyday, recreational wintertime activity rather than a historical or mythological narrative.
Classified as genre art, the painting portrays a winter landscape centered on a horse-drawn sleigh moving across ice. The composition focuses on this everyday, recreational wintertime activity rather than a historical or mythological narrative. By featuring a horse as the primary depicted element pulling the sleigh, the work represents a typical seasonal scene of rural or urban life during the colder months.
Technique & Style
The painting Winter Scene (Horse-Sleigh on the Ice) is executed in oil paint on a wooden panel, a technique typical of early 19th-century Dutch genre scenes. Vermeulen’s handling of light emphasizes the crisp, wintry atmosphere, with delicate brushwork defining the ice surface and the sleigh’s movement, while the composition balances narrative detail with atmospheric depth.
History & Provenance
Andries Vermeulen created the oil painting Winter Scene (Horse-Sleigh on the Ice) in 1802. Executed on a panel measuring 32.5 by 42.5 cm, the work depicts a horse-drawn sleigh on ice. The painting entered the collection of Adriaan van der Hoop, who is recorded as a former owner.
It is currently held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, having been part of the van der Hoop bequest to the Amsterdam Museum.
Overview
Andries Vermeulen’s 1802 oil painting, Winter Scene (Horse‑Sleigh on the Ice), captures a quiet evening on a frozen lake. A horse pulls a wooden sleigh bearing three bundled passengers, while a child glides on skates nearby. The composition is set against a darkening sky, with the ice reflecting the last light of day.
Own this work as a print
Artist & collection
Artist
Andries Vermeulen (1763–1814) was a Dutch painter. Vermeulen was born in Dordrecht. He was taught by his father, Cornelis Vermeulen. He was primarily a landscape painter. He worked for some time in Amsterdam, where he…
