Artwork

Landscape with bathers

Landscape with bathers, by Nicolaes Pieterszoon Berchem, oil, 1635
Landscape with bathers, by Nicolaes Pieterszoon Berchem, oil, 1635

Landscape with bathers is an oil painting by the Dutch Golden Age artist Nicolaes Pieterszoon Berchem. It dates from 1635 and is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum.

About this work

Subject & Meaning

The work represents a harmonious integration of idealized nature with human and animal presence, typical of the Dutch Golden Age landscape genre.

The painting depicts a wooded lakeside scene populated by figures engaged in leisure and pastoral activities. In the foreground, several men are shown drying themselves after swimming, while other figures remain in the water. To the left, a shepherd tends to his livestock, which includes a sheep, a cow, and a dog drinking from the lake.

The composition is a collaborative effort where the landscape, characterized by irregular tree formations and a distant view, was executed by Joris van der Haagen. The human figures and animals in the foreground were painted by Nicolaes Pieterszoon Berchem, whose signature is prominently placed in the lower right area of the canvas. The work represents a harmonious integration of idealized nature with human and animal presence, typical of the Dutch Golden Age landscape genre.

Technique & Style

Landscape with bathers is an oil painting executed on canvas, measuring 70 cm in height by 85.5 cm in width. The work is a collaborative production in which the landscape setting and the staffage are divided between two hands. Joris van der Haagen painted the wooded landscape with its irregular tree masses and a vista opening into the distance, while Nicolaes Berchem contributed the foreground figures drying themselves after bathing, the additional bathers in the water, and the animals at the left, including a shepherd, a sheep, a cow, and a dog drinking from the lake.

Berchem's signature is placed prominently below, slightly right of center, reflecting his contribution to the staffage. The composition pairs a wooded lakeside setting with pastoral figures and livestock in the foreground, characteristic of the collaborative Dutch landscape practice of the period.

History & Provenance

Created in 1635, this collaborative work features a landscape by Joris van der Haagen and figures by Nicolaes Berchem. The painting first appeared in the recorded history during the estate auction of Johan Goll van Franckenstein, held by Jeronimo de Vries in Amsterdam on July 1, 1833. By approximately 1850, ownership had passed to Johannes Rombouts in Dordrecht, who subsequently bequeathed his collection to his nephew, Leendert Dupper.

Upon Dupper's death in 1870, the work entered the Rijksmuseum via legacy. In 1959, the institution transferred the piece to the State Service for Dispersed Art Objects, which later facilitated a long-term loan to the Museum Arnhem.

Landscape with Bathers is primarily associated with the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, where the work was originally bequeathed in 1870 by Leendert Dupper as part of his inheritance from Johannes Rombouts. The painting has a complex holding history involving the Dienst voor 's Rijks Verspreide Kunstvoorwerpen (now the Cultural Heritage Agency of the Netherlands), which received the work from the Rijksmuseum in 1959. Subsequently, the piece was placed on loan to the Museum voor Moderne Kunst Arnhem, currently known as Museum Arnhem.

While the Rijksmuseum is listed as the main location, the work is also cataloged within the collections of the Dienst Verspreide Rijkscollecties and Museum Arnhem. Specific inventory or accession numbers are not provided in the available records.

Overview

Nicolaes Pieterszoon Berchem painted Landscape with Bathers in 1635. Executed in oil on canvas, the work depicts a tranquil riverside setting framed by large trees and a gentle sky. Figures, a shirtless man, a reclining figure, and a hat‑clad individual attending grazing animals, are integrated into the natural surroundings, creating a harmonious pastoral scene.

Wooded Landscape with Bathing Nymps
Wooded Landscape with Bathing Nymps, Unknown

Artist & collection

Portrait of Nicolaes Pieterszoon Berchem

Artist

Nicolaes Pieterszoon Berchem

Nicolaes Pieterszoon Berchem (1 October 1620 – 18 February 1683) was a highly esteemed and prolific Dutch Golden Age painter of pastoral landscapes, populated with mythological or biblical figures, but also of a number of allegories and…

Rijksmuseum

Museum

Rijksmuseum

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Frequently asked questions

Who painted Landscape with bathers?

Landscape with bathers was painted by Nicolaes Pieterszoon Berchem in 1635.

Where can I see Landscape with bathers?

Landscape with bathers is held by Rijksmuseum.

What movement is Landscape with bathers?

Landscape with bathers is associated with Dutch Golden Age.

Can I buy a print of Landscape with bathers?

Museum-quality prints of Landscape with bathers are available made-to-order from Artifact World Gallery.