Artwork
Italian marketplace
Italian marketplace is an oil painting by the Dutch Golden Age artist Jacob van der Ulft. It dates from 1650 and is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum.
About this work
Technique & Style
Executed in 1650, this landscape painting by Jacob van der Ulft utilizes oil paint applied to a canvas support. The work measures 41 cm in height and 38 cm in width. As a classified landscape genre piece, the composition depicts an Italian marketplace scene. The physical object is currently held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum.
History & Provenance
Italian marketplace, an oil painting on canvas by Jacob van der Ulft dated 1650, is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum.
The painting Italian marketplace was created in 1650 by Jacob van der Ulft as an oil on canvas work measuring 41 by 38 cm. It entered the collection of Jacobus Salomon Hendrik van de Poll and later Henric Muilman before being acquired by the Rijksmuseum, where it remains in its permanent collection.
The work was painted in the Dutch Republic during the mid-17th century and exemplifies the landscape genre through its detailed depiction of a bustling market scene.
Italian marketplace, an oil painting on canvas by Jacob van der Ulft dated 1650, is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum. The work measures 41 cm in height by 38 cm in width. Prior to its institutional custody, the painting was owned by Henric Muilman and Jacobus Salomon Hendrik van de Poll. No exhibition history is documented in the available sources.
Overview
Created circa 1650, this oil on canvas presents a lively Italian market scene rendered by Jacob van der Ulft, a Dutch painter active during the mid‑17th century. The composition combines figures, architecture, and water, offering a snapshot of daily commerce set against a sun‑lit urban backdrop. The work belongs to the Dutch Golden Age and is part of the Rijksmuseum’s collection.
Subject & Meaning
The foreground teems with merchants, shoppers, and seated patrons, each absorbed in transactions or conversation, while the background reveals a row of buildings and a canal dotted with small vessels. The bustling atmosphere reflects the vitality of market life, emphasizing communal interaction and the exchange of goods typical of Mediterranean towns of the period.
Context
During the Dutch Golden Age, artists frequently depicted exotic or foreign scenes to satisfy a market eager for travel imagery. Van der Ulft’s Italian market aligns with this trend, offering viewers a romanticized view of southern commerce while demonstrating the period’s fascination with detailed, narrative-driven landscapes.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Jacob van der Ulft (Dutch pronunciation:; 1621–1689) was a Dutch painter, glass painter, print artist, architect and mayor. He was known for his architectural and city views, landscapes and topographical views.
