1628
chalk
paper
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Cottages by a River is a 1628 chalk by Jan van Goyen, a Baroque work, held at National Gallery of Art.
You're looking at a sketch of a riverside scene. In the foreground, there's a cluster of trees and bushes with bare branches, and what seems to be a small building or cottage. The trees and the building are drawn in black chalk, with some touches of graphite. The background is a bit blurry, but you can make out a river with some boats on it. The drawing has a very sketchy, unfinished feel to it. The lines are loose and expressive, and the whole thing has a sense of movement and energy. It's like the artist was trying to capture the scene quickly, without worrying too much about details. If you like this kind of sketchy, expressive drawing, you might want to check out the work of Rembrandt, another Dutch artist who was known for his use of chiaroscuro and his expressive, emotive drawings.
Jan Josephszoon van Goyen (Dutch pronunciation: ; 13 January 1596 – 27 April 1656) was a Dutch landscape painter.
See the richer artist pageYour cart is empty
Explore artworks →
