Who painted Nocturnal Crayfishing?

Nocturnal Crayfishing was painted by Jan Asselijn in 1638-01-01.

Where can I see Nocturnal Crayfishing?

Nocturnal Crayfishing is held by Statens Museum for Kunst.

What movement is Nocturnal Crayfishing?

Nocturnal Crayfishing is associated with Dutch Golden Age.

Can I buy a print of Nocturnal Crayfishing?

Museum-quality prints of Nocturnal Crayfishing are available made-to-order from Artifact World Gallery.

Artwork

Nocturnal Crayfishing

Jan Asselijn , 1638

Nocturnal Crayfishing is an oil painting by the Dutch Golden Age artist Jan Asselijn. It dates from 1638 and is held in the collection of the Statens Museum for Kunst.

About this work

Subject & Meaning

Jan Asselijn's 1638 oil painting, Nocturnal Crayfishing, depicts a landscape scene centered on the main subject of fishing conducted at night.

Jan Asselijn's 1638 oil painting, Nocturnal Crayfishing, depicts a landscape scene centered on the main subject of fishing conducted at night. The composition features a man and a child navigating a forest stream, illuminated by a torch. This nocturnal setting transforms the activity of crayfishing into a dramatic visual narrative, emphasizing the interplay of light and shadow within the natural environment.

The work captures the specific moment of gathering crayfish under the cover of darkness, highlighting the practical aspects of the trade alongside the atmospheric qualities of the night.

Technique & Style

Nocturnal Crayfishing is an oil painting executed on canvas in 1638. The work belongs to the landscape genre and was created using traditional 17th‑century oil‑on‑canvas technique, with the pigment applied thinly to achieve subtle nocturnal lighting. The composition features a fisherman and child illuminated by a torch within a dark forest, a stream, and surrounding trees, emphasizing chiaroscuro effects typical of Dutch nocturnal scenes.

The canvas measures approximately 590 × 490 mm, and the painting is housed in the Statens Museum for Kunst. No detailed records of handling or conservation status are available in the documented sources.

History & Provenance

Nocturnal Crayfishing was created by Jan Asselijn in 1638 (inception date 1638-01-01), executed in oil on canvas measuring 59 cm in height and 49 cm in width. The work is classified as a landscape painting and depicts a nocturnal scene of crayfishing with a torch-lit figure and child beside a forest stream. It is now housed in the Statens Museum for Kunst in Copenhagen, where it has been part of the museum's collection.

Nocturnal Crayfishing by Jan Asselijn, dated 1638, is held in the collection of the Statens Museum for Kunst in Denmark. The work is catalogued as part of the museum's holdings, with its oil-on-canvas medium and landscape genre recorded in the associated institutional and Wikidata records.

No specific accession number is provided in the available sources, and no exhibition history beyond the painting's current location at the Statens Museum for Kunst is documented.

Overview

Jan Asselijn's Nocturnal Crayfishing, executed in 1638, is a landscape painting that captures a group of figures engaged in crayfishing along a stream within a dense forest at night. The composition centers on the figures huddled around a small fire, with one individual holding a torch that serves as a secondary light source. Asselijn employs a dramatic chiaroscuro technique, where the intense illumination from the fire and torch contrasts sharply with the surrounding darkness, creating a sense of depth and focusing the viewer's attention on the human activity.

This work exemplifies the Dutch Golden Age interest in nocturnal scenes and genre landscapes, blending realistic observation of nature with atmospheric effects. Painted early in Asselijn's career, before his later shift toward more classical Italianate landscapes, this piece demonstrates his skill in rendering light and shadow to evoke mood and narrative within a natural setting. The painting reflects the period's fascination with the interplay of artificial light and darkness in outdoor environments, a theme explored by several contemporary artists.