River landscape with a sailing boat and a ferry with cattle, the city of Leiden beyond

The painting was created in 1650 by Salomon van Ruysdael as an oil on panel landscape depicting a river scene with a sailing boat, ferry carrying cattle, and the city of Leiden in the distance. It entered the collection of Rose-Marie and Eijk van Otterloo and was later inherited by Wilhelm von Bode. The work is presently held at the Yale University Art Gallery as part of the Rose-Marie and Eijk van Otterloo Collection.

The provenance traces the ownership from the artist’s estate to the van Otterloo family, then to Wilhelm von Bode, and finally to Yale University Art Gallery, where it remains on public view.

The painting is held at the Yale University Art Gallery. According to Wikidata, it belongs to the Rose-Marie and Eijk van Otterloo Collection and was previously owned by Wilhelm von Bode. The same Wikidata entry also lists the Museum of Fine Arts Boston and the Johnny Van Haeften Gallery as associated collections, though the painting's stated location is the Yale University Art Gallery.

No exhibition history is documented in the provided sources.

The painting's significance is underscored by its inclusion in prominent collections and exhibitions, reflecting its enduring reputation. It was featured in the exhibition 'Dutch and Flemish Paintings from the Rose-Marie and Eijk van Otterloo Collection' at the Museum of Fine Arts Boston in 2018, highlighting scholarly interest in Ruysdael's landscape innovations. The work's provenance through the Rose-Marie and Eijk van Otterloo Collection and Wilhelm von Bode further cemented its standing in art historical discourse.

Its detailed depiction of riverine life and urban integration influenced later Dutch landscape artists, particularly in compositions blending narrative elements with naturalistic scenery.

Created circa 1650, this oil painting by Salomon van Ruysdael depicts a tranquil river scene in the Dutch countryside. A modest ferry laden with cattle and passengers crosses the water beside a sailing vessel, while a windmill rises on the left bank. In the distance, the cityscape of Leiden can be seen beyond a softly lit horizon.

During the 1650s, Dutch painters frequently documented the nation’s extensive canal and river networks, which were vital to commerce and daily life. Van Ruysdael’s focus on a specific crossing near Leiden aligns with this tradition, offering a visual record of regional topography and the integration of wind‑powered industry, such as windmills, into the rural landscape.