Artwork
Scene on the Ice
Scene on the Ice is an oil painting by the Dutch Golden Age artist Hendrick Avercamp. It dates from 1620 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Ireland.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The composition balances meticulous detail with a muted palette, reflecting the realist tradition of capturing both natural phenomena and human activity.
The painting portrays a bustling winter scene on a frozen river, showing figures engaged in ice skating, a child pulling a sled, and a drawbridge spanning the water beside a modest house. These elements combine to celebrate seasonal leisure while subtly referencing everyday life in early 17th‑century Dutch towns. The ice functions as a social stage where people of various classes interact, underscoring themes of community and transience.
The composition balances meticulous detail with a muted palette, reflecting the realist tradition of capturing both natural phenomena and human activity.
Technique & Style
Hendrick Avercamp's Scene on the Ice is an oil painting executed on a wooden panel support. Created in 1620, the work belongs to the landscape genre and measures 20.5 cm in height by 43.8 cm in width. The artist utilized oil paints to depict a winter scene featuring ice skating, a drawbridge, and a house.
The composition captures the formal qualities of a winter landscape, focusing on figures and architectural elements within a frozen environment.
History & Provenance
Hendrick Avercamp painted Scene on the Ice in 1620, depicting a bustling winter scene with skaters, a drawbridge, and a house on ice. The work is an oil painting on panel measuring 43.8 cm by 20.5 cm. It entered the collection of the National Gallery of Ireland, where it remains on display.
The painting is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Ireland, where it is recorded under the accession details associated with its presence in the institution. It was created by Hendrick Avercamp in 1620 as an oil paint work on panel, depicting a winter scene with ice skating, a drawbridge, and a house. The work has been part of the gallery's exhibition history, contributing to displays of Dutch and Flemish painting.
Overview
Scene on the Ice, painted in 1620 by Hendrick Avercamp, is an oil painting depicting a vibrant winter scene set on a frozen river in 17th-century Netherlands.
Artist & collection
Artist
Hendrick Avercamp (January 27, 1585 (bapt.) – May 15, 1634 (buried)) was a Dutch painter during the Dutch Golden Age of painting.
