Who painted Village with Pond?

Village with Pond was painted by Cornelis Ploos van Amstel in 1782.

Where can I see Village with Pond?

Village with Pond is held by National Gallery of Art.

What movement is Village with Pond?

Village with Pond is associated with Romanticism.

Can I buy a print of Village with Pond?

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

Artwork

Village with Pond

Cornelis Ploos van Amstel , 1782

Village with Pond is an ink print by the Romanticist artist Cornelis Ploos van Amstel. It dates from 1782 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.

Inscription: Inscribed:lower left of image on stone: AVE; verso along bottom in graphite: 2e Proef

About this work

Overview

Cornelis Ploos van Amstel’s print titled Village with Pond dates from around 1782. Executed as an aquatint on laid paper, the work is printed in a reddish‑brown hue. The image captures a tranquil rural setting, rendered in a tonal range that emphasizes atmosphere over precise detail.

Subject & Meaning

The composition presents a modest settlement beside a shallow pond, with villagers traversing earthen tracks, some accompanied by livestock. Simple timber houses line the scene, while a church tower rises in the distance, suggesting communal focal points. Boats moored at a modest dock hint at modest commerce, together evoking everyday life in an 18th‑century Dutch countryside.

Technique & Style

Ploos van Amstel employed aquatint to achieve broad, velvety washes, complemented by roulette work that textures the line work with a stippled effect. The combination yields a slightly uneven, hand‑crafted surface, reinforcing the rustic subject. The warm brown ink unifies the sky’s swirling clouds and the earth tones of the village, creating a cohesive tonal harmony.

History & Provenance

Created circa 1782, the print reflects the artist’s interest in documenting Dutch rural scenery during the late Enlightenment. While specific ownership records are sparse, the work is catalogued among Ploos van Amstel’s prints that were circulated among collectors of Dutch topographical imagery in the late 18th and early 19th centuries.