Artwork
Landscape with windmills
Landscape with windmills is an oil painting by the Impressionist artist Paul Joseph Constantin Gabriël. It dates from 1896 and is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The composition emphasizes atmospheric light and the orderly arrangement of agricultural elements typical of 19th‑century Dutch landscape painting.
Landscape with windmills depicts a Dutch countryside scene featuring windmills set against a bright sky and rolling fields. The composition emphasizes atmospheric light and the orderly arrangement of agricultural elements typical of 19th‑century Dutch landscape painting. Symbolically, the windmills reference traditional Dutch industry and land reclamation, while the expansive horizon conveys a sense of national identity and rural tranquility.
The work belongs to the landscape genre and was created in oil on canvas in 1890, measuring 65 cm × 100 cm. It is part of the Rijksmuseum collection, originally owned by Joannes Barnardus Antonius Maria Westerwoudt, and was produced in the Netherlands.
The painting’s subject reflects the everyday pastoral environment of the Netherlands, using realistic representation to celebrate the country’s geography and cultural heritage.
Technique & Style
The work is an oil painting executed on canvas, reflecting the landscape genre typical of late 19th-century Dutch art. Its formal qualities include a naturalistic treatment of sky and terrain, with windmills rendered in loose brushwork that suggests movement and atmospheric light. The surface handling reveals careful layering of paint, contributing to a cohesive yet textured visual field. These stylistic choices align with Gabriël’s broader approach to plein-air observation and impressionistic modulation of form.
History & Provenance
Paul Joseph Constantin Gabriël created the oil painting Landscape with windmills in 1890. Executed on canvas, the work was produced in the Netherlands. At some point following its creation, the painting entered the collection of Joannes Barnardus Antonius Maria Westerwoudt. The artwork is currently held by the Rijksmuseum.
Paul Joseph Constantin Gabriël's 1890 painting Landscape with windmills is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum in the Netherlands. The work is executed in oil on canvas and measures 65 cm in height by 100 cm in width. Prior to its current location, the painting was owned by Joannes Barnardus Antonius Maria Westerwoudt. The provided sources do not contain specific accession numbers or a record of the work's exhibition history.
Context
Landscape with windmills (1890) is a painting by Paul Joseph Constantin Gabriël, documented in the Rijksmuseum collection where it is classified as a landscape work created in the Netherlands. The work has been discussed in art historical literature in relation to 19th-century Dutch landscape traditions and the artist's broader oeuvre, situating it within the evolution of genre painting in the Netherlands. Its formal qualities and thematic focus on windmills reflect contemporary interests in rural scenery and atmospheric effects characteristic of Gabriël's mature period.
Overview
Landscape with windmills is a 1896 oil painting by Paul Gabriël, a Dutch artist associated with the Hague School.
Own this work as a print
Artist & collection
Artist
Paul Joseph Constantin Gabriël
Paul Joseph Constantin Gabriël or Paul Gabriël (5 July 1828 – 23 August 1903) was a painter, draftsman, watercolorist, and etcher who belonged to the Hague School.
