The Large Tree and the Cascade
1653
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
About the artist
Artist
Herman van Swanevelt
Herman van Swanevelt (1603–1655) was a Dutch artist, born in Woerden.
See the richer artist page1653
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
Dominant colour
The Large Tree and the Cascade is a 1653 by Herman van Swanevelt, a Baroque work, held at Cleveland Museum of Art.
This painting shows a wide Dutch landscape with a tall tree and a waterfall. The Holy Family travels through it in four scenes. You can spot Joseph, Mary, and baby Jesus on a donkey, guided by angels. Swanevelt broke tradition by splitting one Bible story into four images. This made the story feel more real and spread out. The landscapes feel alive with detail and light. It’s part of a set at The Cleveland Museum of Art. Look up The Cleveland Museum of Art to see more.
This series by Herman Swanevelt, The Flight into Egypt, illustrates an event from the New Testament of the Bible. Joseph, Mary, and Christ fled into Egypt to escape King Herod's persecution. Traditionally represented as a single image, Swanevelt enlarged the story into four scenes. The Holy family is first shown traveling with three angels behind them, then Joseph helps Mary off the donkey, next Joseph leads the donkey to water as Mary changes the child, and finally the family is at rest. However, the main focus of each of these prints is the depiction of landscape, a genre that reached…
Read the full account in the museum source.
Herman van Swanevelt (1603–1655) was a Dutch artist, born in Woerden.
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