Who painted Lady and Gentleman on Horseback?

Lady and Gentleman on Horseback was painted by Aelbert Cuyp in c. 1655, reworked 1660/1665.

Where can I see Lady and Gentleman on Horseback?

Lady and Gentleman on Horseback is held by National Gallery of Art.

What movement is Lady and Gentleman on Horseback?

Lady and Gentleman on Horseback is associated with Baroque.

Can I buy a print of Lady and Gentleman on Horseback?

Museum-quality prints of Lady and Gentleman on Horseback are available made-to-order from Artifact World Gallery.

Lady and Gentleman on Horseback by Aelbert Cuyp (c. 1655, reworked 1660/1665)

Inscription: Inscribed:lower left: A.Cuijp.

About this work

A couple in hunting dress pauses on horseback against a glowing Italianate landscape, their white horse's red-and-gold saddlecloth catching the light.

A couple in hunting dress pauses on horseback against a glowing Italianate landscape, their white horse's red-and-gold saddlecloth catching the light. Aelbert Cuyp signed the canvas around 1655, then reworked it in the 1660s to update the costumes and refine the composition. The Dordrecht artist set the pair in a sweeping panorama, merging portraiture with the pastoral hunt scenes prized by the Dutch elite.

Subject & Meaning

The painting depicts a man and a woman on horseback, accompanied by a greyhound, set before a castle in a landscape. Classified as both a group portrait and a landscape painting, the work presents the couple in a scene of aristocratic leisure, likely referencing the hunt or a stately outing. The inclusion of the castle and the greyhound, a breed associated with nobility and hunting, underscores the subjects' elevated social standing and their connection to landed property.

The composition aligns with Aelbert Cuyp's practice of blending portraiture with panoramic views, using the landscape to convey not only the sitters' wealth but also their harmonious relationship with the rural estate.

Technique & Style

Aelbert Cuyp executed this work in oil on canvas, a typical medium and support for his era. The painting measures 123 by 172 centimeters. Stylistically, it functions as a group portrait and landscape painting, depicting a man and a woman on horseback accompanied by a greyhound and a castle in the background.

The composition reflects Cuyp's interest in integrating figures into expansive outdoor settings. No specific information about the artist's handling or the painting's condition is available in the provided sources.

History & Provenance

Painted in 1655 by Aelbert Cuyp, "Lady and Gentleman on Horseback" first appears in the historical record in the possession of London dealer and collector Thomas Emmerson (c. 1776–1855) before 1834. It was then owned by Edmund Higginson of Saltmarshe Castle, Herefordshire, before 1842. Higginson attempted to sell the painting at auction in 1846 (bought in) and again in 1860, both times under the title "The Departure for the Chase."

After passing through dealer Charles J. Nieuwenhuys, it belonged to Adrian John Hope of London; his estate sale in 1894 listed it as "Grand Landscape." Dealer Charles Sedelmeyer acquired it and sold it that same year to Peter A. B. Widener of Lynnewood Hall, Pennsylvania. Widener’s collection descended to his son Joseph E. Widener, who gifted the painting to the National Gallery of Art in 1942.

Overview

Aelbert Cuyp's "Lady and Gentleman on Horseback" is a substantial oil on canvas depicting an elegantly attired couple mounted on horseback. Painted around 1655 and signed "A.Cuijp." in the lower left, the work places the figures within a sweeping, golden Italianate landscape, accompanied by a hunting party. The Dordrecht artist later revisited the painting in the 1660s to update its details.

This double equestrian portrait entered the National Gallery of Art in 1942 as part of the Widener Collection.

Portrait of two unknown man on horseback, Thomas de Keyser

Artist & collection

Artist

Aelbert Cuyp

Aelbert Jacobszoon Cuyp or Cuijp (Dutch pronunciation: ; 20 October 1620 – 15 November 1691) was one of the leading Dutch Golden Age painters, producing mainly landscapes.