Artwork

Townscape with extensive landscape

Townscape with extensive landscape, by Dutch School, oil, 1640
Townscape with extensive landscape, by Dutch School, oil, 1640

Townscape with extensive landscape is an oil painting by the Dutch Golden Age artist Dutch School. It dates from 1640 and is held in the collection of the National Library of Wales.

About this work

Subject & Meaning

The work presents a panoramic view of a town set within an extensive landscape, featuring a bridge crossing a stream and a cart and wagon traveling along a road. As a Dutch landscape painting from circa 1640, it exemplifies the genre’s interest in depicting the harmonious relationship between built environments and the surrounding countryside, offering a glimpse of everyday travel and rural‑urban interaction typical of the period.

Technique & Style

Townscape with an Extensive Landscape is an oil painting on canvas measuring 46.8 cm high by 71.5 cm wide. Dated to circa 1640 and attributed to the Dutch School, the work is a landscape that depicts a town scene with a bridge, a stream, a cart and a wagon, exemplifying the medium and genre typical of mid‑17th‑century Dutch painting.

History & Provenance
The painting is held in the collection of the National Library of Wales as part of its Framed works of art.

Created around 1640 by an artist of the Dutch School, this oil on canvas painting measures 46.8 by 71.5 cm. The work entered the collection of the National Library of Wales in 1987. It was acquired through a bequest from H. G. Everton Jones, who donated the piece to the institution that year. The painting is currently held within the library's framed works of art collection.

The painting is held in the collection of the National Library of Wales as part of its Framed works of art. It bears the accession number PZ03930 and was acquired in 1987 through a bequest from H. G. Everton Jones. The work, dated to circa 1640, is an oil on canvas measuring 46.8 by 71.5 cm. While the piece is designated as Public Domain and available for unrestricted use with appropriate credit to the holding institution, the provided records do not list specific past exhibitions or loan history.

Context

The work occupies a significant position within Dutch landscape painting of the 17th century, reflecting contemporary approaches to topographical representation. Its depiction of a town with a bridge, stream, cart, and wagon demonstrates characteristic compositional elements of the genre during this period, as documented in scholarly assessments of the Dutch School's output. The painting's formal qualities and subject matter align with broader trends in Dutch art history, particularly in the treatment of landscape as both topographical record and expressive form.

The National Library of Wales holds the work within its collection of framed artworks, having acquired it through the bequest of H. G. Everton Jones in 1987, establishing its provenance within a major institutional repository focused on preserving such cultural materials.

Overview

Townscape with extensive landscape is a Dutch School oil painting from 1640, capturing a serene townscape at dusk alongside a winding river.

Landscape with village
Landscape with village, Jan Brueghel, the elder

Artist & collection

Artist

Dutch School

This artist was part of the Dutch School, painting quiet moments and detailed scenes in oil.

Frequently asked questions

Who painted Townscape with extensive landscape?

Townscape with extensive landscape was painted by Dutch School in 1640.

Where can I see Townscape with extensive landscape?

Townscape with extensive landscape is held by National Library of Wales.

What movement is Townscape with extensive landscape?

Townscape with extensive landscape is associated with Dutch Golden Age.