Artwork
Harvesting the Vines
Harvesting the Vines is an oil painting by the Dutch Golden Age artist Pieter van Laer. It is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum.
About this work
Technique & Style
It was painted on canvas and handled as a standard oil painting, remaining in the collection of the Rijksmuseum where it is owned by Jan Hendrik Cremer.
Harvesting the Vines is an oil painting on canvas created by Pieter van Laer in 1650. The work measures 62.5 cm in height and 80 cm in width and depicts a tree within a genre scene. It was painted on canvas and handled as a standard oil painting, remaining in the collection of the Rijksmuseum where it is owned by Jan Hendrik Cremer.
The painting’s condition and formal qualities reflect the handling typical of 17th-century oil-on-canvas works, with its composition centered on the depicted tree and stylistic elements drawn from genre painting.
The artwork’s materials consist of oil paint applied to a canvas support, and its creation in 1650 places it within the broader tradition of Dutch Golden Age genre scenes. The Rijksmuseum’s records confirm its dimensions, ownership, and material composition, establishing it as a well-documented example of van Laer’s technique and stylistic approach.
History & Provenance
The painting was created in 1650 by Pieter van Laer, also known as Pieter Bodding van Laer.
The work entered the collection of Jan Hendrik Cremer before its subsequent acquisition by the Rijksmuseum, where it is currently held. The provenance record ascribes its ownership to Cremer prior to its presence in the museum’s holdings.
The painting is in the collection of the Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam, where it is inventoried as SK-C-1939-50.
It was first recorded in the possession of Jan Hendrik Cremer before entering the museum’s holdings. The work has not been identified in any documented exhibition catalogues since its acquisition by the Rijksmuseum.
Overview
Created circa 1650, Harvesting the Vines is an oil painting by Pieter van Laer, a Dutch artist active during the mid‑17th‑century Golden Age. The work depicts a group of figures engaged in grape‑picking amid a sun‑lit vineyard, rendered in a muted, earth‑toned palette that conveys a relaxed, communal atmosphere.
Subject & Meaning
The composition centers on a cluster of laborers gathered beneath a large tree, some seated, others standing, as they converse and share laughter while harvesting grapes. The scene captures everyday rural activity, emphasizing camaraderie and the simple pleasures of agrarian life, typical of genre paintings that celebrate ordinary moments.
Own this work as a print
Artist & collection
Artist
Pieter Bodding van Laer (christened 14 December 1599, in Haarlem – 1641 or later) was a Dutch painter and printmaker.
