Artwork
Cavalry attack at sunset
Cavalry attack at sunset is an oil painting by the Dutch Golden Age artist Jan Asselijn. It dates from 1646 and is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The painting depicts a cavalry skirmish set against a sunset, with a kneeling soldier firing at an oncoming rider on a white horse.
The painting depicts a cavalry skirmish set against a sunset, with a kneeling soldier firing at an oncoming rider on a white horse. Smoke rises from a building on rocks in the background. The work is classified as genre art, capturing a moment of military action rather than a specific historical battle.
The sunset setting may evoke the transience of conflict or the dramatic atmosphere of late-day warfare, while the central confrontation emphasizes individual action within a broader chaotic scene.
Technique & Style
Executed in oil paint on a wooden panel, this work measures 49 by 74 centimeters. The artist signed and dated the piece in the lower left corner with the inscription 'Jean Asselin / F 1646'. Stylistically, the composition depicts a dynamic battle scene set against a setting sun, featuring a kneeling marksman firing at a charging rider on a grey horse.
Smoke plumes rise from a structure situated on rocky terrain in the background, contributing to the atmospheric depth of the genre scene.
History & Provenance
The painting titled Cavalry attack at sunset was created by Jan Asselijn in 1646 and executed in oil paint. It depicts a cavalry engagement at sunset, with a kneeling shooter firing at a charging rider on a grey horse, while smoke rises from a building in the background. The work bears Asselijn's signature and date 'Jean Asselin / F 1646' in the lower left corner.
Provenance traces back to Johan van der Linden van Slingeland, whose estate sale on 22 August 1785 marks the first recorded appearance of the work. It subsequently passed through the 1810 auction of Daniël de Jongh's collection in Rotterdam, then into the possession of Johannes Rombouts by 1850, and finally to his nephew Leendert Dupper, who bequeathed the painting to the Rijksmuseum in 1870.
Cavalry attack at sunset is held in the Rijksmuseum collection, listed under inventory number SK-C-4. The work entered public view through exhibitions at the Rijksmuseum, including its display in the museum's genre painting galleries. Its provenance traces from Johan van der Linden van Slingeland's 1785 estate sale, through Daniël de Jongh's 1810 Rotterdam auction, to Johannes Rombouts' Dordrecht collection and Leendert Dupper's 1870 bequest. The painting was acquired by the Rijksmuseum following Dupper's legacy and remains part of its permanent holdings.
Overview
Jan Asselijn’s 1646 oil painting, titled Cavalry Attack at Sunset, presents a dynamic genre scene of a mounted assault set against the waning light of day. The work is part of the Rijksmuseum’s collection and captures a moment of intense combat as daylight fades.
Own this work as a print
Artist & collection
