Artwork
Winter Landscape with Skater
Winter Landscape with Skater is a drawing by the Baroque artist Jan van Kessel. It dates from 1662 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.
- Accession no.
- 2019.7
- Credit line
- John L. Severance Fund
About this work
Overview
Winter Landscape with Skater is a drawing by Jan van Kessel, a Dutch landscape painter, depicting a serene rural scene on a frozen canal.
Subject & Meaning
The scene features a skater under a stone bridge, weathered sheds, and a village church in the distance, capturing everyday life in a quiet Dutch winter landscape.
Technique & Style
Van Kessel used a combination of black chalk and grey ink wash to create a shimmering effect on the trees, giving them a soft appearance.
Context
This type of rural landscape scene was a staple of the Dutch landscape school in the 17th century, focusing on simple, realistic depictions of everyday Dutch life.
Artist & collection
Artist
Jan van Kessel (1641 or 1648 – 1680) was a Dutch Golden Age draftsman and landscape painter who made many cityscapes of Amsterdam. His work is often confused with the works of contemporary painters with the same name.
![View of Houtewael near the Sint Anthoniespoort [recto], by Rembrandt van Rijn](https://artifactworldgallery.com/img/rembrandt-van-rijn--view-of-houtewael-near-the-sint-anthoniespoort-recto--2919925de9060e70-w320.webp)
