Who painted Path in the woods?

Path in the woods was painted by Jan Looten in 1662.

Where can I see Path in the woods?

Path in the woods is held by Rijksmuseum.

What movement is Path in the woods?

Path in the woods is associated with Dutch Golden Age.

Can I buy a print of Path in the woods?

Museum-quality prints of Path in the woods are available made-to-order from Artifact World Gallery.

Path in the woods by Jan Looten (1662) · Artifact World Gallery

About this work

Subject & Meaning

The forest setting, with its dense trees and diffused light, frames these interactions within a broader meditation on human presence in nature.

The painting depicts a sandy woodland path where a man and woman walk with a dog while a shabbily dressed boy approaches them, likely begging; the boy appears to belong to a mother seated at the edge of the path holding a child. In the background, another man urinates and a hunter with a dog is present, adding anecdotal detail to the scene.

The composition juxtaposes the strolling couple’s indifference with the child’s plea, suggesting tensions between leisure and social precariousness in mid-seventeenth-century Dutch life. The forest setting, with its dense trees and diffused light, frames these interactions within a broader meditation on human presence in nature.

Technique & Style

Path in the Woods is an oil painting executed on a canvas support, measuring 97 cm in height and 82.4 cm in width. Created in 1662 by Jan Looten, the work is signed 'J. Loote' in the lower left corner. While Looten is credited with the landscape setting, the figures within the scene are attributed to Johannes Lingelbach.

The composition depicts a sandy path through a forest populated by various figures, including a walking couple with a dog, a beggar boy, and background elements such as a hunter and a man urinating. The painting is currently held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam.

History & Provenance

Path in the woods is an oil-on-canvas landscape painted by Jan Looten in 1662, with the figures attributed to Johannes Lingelbach. The painting was formerly ascribed to Adriaen Hendriksz. Verboom before the signature "J. Loote" was identified in the lower left corner.

The work's documented ownership history begins with the Amsterdam collection of Johan Goll van Franckenstein (1756–1821). Following the early death of his son Pieter Hendrik Goll van Franckenstein (1787–1832), the collection was auctioned on 1 July 1833 at the Huis met de Hoofden, where a buyer named Engelberts acquired the painting. It subsequently entered the collection of Leendert Dupper (1799–1870), who bequeathed it to the Rijksmuseum upon his death, where it remains held today.

The painting is held by the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam under inventory number SK-C-511.

It was previously owned by Johan Goll van Franckenstein and was sold at the 1833 Amsterdam auction of his collection to a buyer named Engelberts. Later it formed part of the bequest of Leendert Dupper to the Rijksmuseum in 1870.

Overview

Path in the Woods is an oil painting created in 1662 by Dutch landscape painter Jan Looten, characterized by a serene forest scene with a winding path, showcasing the artist's skill in capturing dappled light and depth.

Forest landscape with a woodsman's shed, Roelant Roghman

Artist & collection

Artist

Jan Looten

Jan Looten (1617 or 1618 in Amsterdam – c. 1681 in the Kingdom of England) was a Dutch landscape painter. He is first recorded in Amsterdam at his wedding with Catelijntje Harmans in September 1643, as a 25-year old…