Artwork
A wooded landscape
A wooded landscape is an oil painting by the Dutch Golden Age artist Jacob van Ruisdael. It dates from 1662 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Ireland.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The composition features a dense forest and a rising hill, bisected by a watercourse and a road where figures are depicted traveling.
Jacob van Ruisdael's 1662 oil painting presents a wooded landscape that integrates natural topography with human activity. The composition features a dense forest and a rising hill, bisected by a watercourse and a road where figures are depicted traveling. A swan appears within the scene, adding a specific element of wildlife to the environment.
As a work of the landscape genre, the painting focuses on the representation of these physical elements, trees, water, earth, and sky, alongside the small-scale human presence navigating the terrain.
Technique & Style
A wooded landscape is executed in oil paint, consistent with Jacob van Ruisdael's standard practice of working in this medium on a relatively modest panel-like scale of 61 cm in height by 76 cm in width. The painting belongs to the landscape genre, depicting a forest scene with a road, figures, a watercourse, a swan, and a hill. Within that woodland subject, Ruisdael's handling is characteristic of his mature style, organizing the composition around the interplay of dense tree masses, a winding path, and a stretch of water to create spatial depth.
The work is classified as a painting and is held in the National Gallery of Ireland. No specific information on support, surface condition, or particular stylistic handling is documented in the available sources.
History & Provenance
Jacob van Ruisdael painted A wooded landscape in 1662 as an oil painting. The work entered the collection of the National Gallery of Ireland, where it remains on display.
The painting was created during van Ruisdael's mature period, characterized by intricate naturalistic detail and atmospheric effects. It depicts a forest scene with a road, figures, a watercourse, a swan, and a hill.
The National Gallery of Ireland holds the artwork in its collection, confirming its provenance and current ownership.
The painting A wooded landscape (1662) by Jacob van Ruisdael is held by the National Gallery of Ireland. It entered the collection with accession details not specified in the sources. The work has been exhibited as part of landscape painting displays at the National Gallery of Ireland.
The artwork measures 76 cm in width and 61 cm in height, created in oil paint. It depicts a forest scene with a road, figures, a watercourse, a swan, a hill, and trees.
The National Gallery of Ireland holds the piece in its collection and has featured it in exhibitions focused on landscape painting.
Context
Jacob van Ruisdael emerged as a leading figure in Dutch 17th-century landscape painting, renowned for his atmospheric naturalism and technical innovation. His work, including the 1662 oil painting A wooded landscape, exemplifies his mastery of composition and light within the broader tradition of Dutch Golden Age art. This painting is part of the National Gallery of Ireland's collection, reflecting the artist's enduring influence on European landscape genres and scholarly study of his contributions to art historical discourse.
Overview
Jacob van Ruisdael’s oil painting dated 1662 presents a tranquil woodland scene. The composition centers on a forested hill crossed by a winding road and a modest stream, where a few figures and a dog traverse the path while swans glide on the water. The work is part of the collection of the National Gallery of Ireland.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Jacob Isaackszoon van Ruisdael was a Dutch painter, draughtsman, and etcher. He is generally considered the pre-eminent landscape painter of the Dutch Golden Age, a period of great wealth and cultural achievement when…
