Artwork
Fish market at night

Fish market at night is an oil painting by the Dutch Golden Age artist Egbert van der Poel. It dates from 1650 and is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The painting depicts a nocturnal fish market in Amsterdam, showing vendors and buyers engaged in commerce under dim lantern light.
The painting depicts a nocturnal fish market in Amsterdam, showing vendors and buyers engaged in commerce under dim lantern light. This genre scene emphasizes the everyday economic activity of the Dutch Republic's port city, reflecting the commercial vitality and social dynamics of 17th-century urban life. The work belongs to the broader tradition of Dutch Golden Age genre painting, which often portrayed such market activities to celebrate civic prosperity and mercantile culture.
Technique & Style
The painting is executed in oil paint on a wooden panel, demonstrating the typical handling of 17th-century Dutch genre scenes. Its formal composition captures the nocturnal atmosphere through dramatic chiaroscuro and meticulous attention to the textures of fish and market stalls, reflecting van der Poel's skill in rendering everyday activity with realism and nuance.
The work measures 35 cm in height and 26.5 cm in width, a modest scale that emphasizes intimate detail and controlled brushwork.
These stylistic choices align with the broader tradition of Dutch Golden Age painting, where naturalistic depiction and careful rendering of materials conveyed both narrative and atmospheric depth.
History & Provenance
Fish market at night is an oil painting by Egbert van der Poel dated to 1650. The work is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum. Earlier in its ownership history, the painting was owned by Daniel Franken.
No information about a commission, specific creation circumstances, or a more detailed chain of ownership is documented in the available sources.
The painting Fish market at night is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam. The work is attributed to Egbert van der Poel and dates to 1650. While the source identifies the museum as the current location, it also notes that the piece is owned by Daniel Franken, suggesting a complex holding or ownership history within the institution's records.
No specific inventory or accession number is provided in the available documentation, nor is there any record of past or future exhibitions for this specific work.
Overview
Fish market at night is a genre painting in oil by Egbert van der Poel, dated to around 1650.
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