Who painted A Landscape with a Great Tree?

A Landscape with a Great Tree was painted by Herman van Swanevelt in 1628.

Where can I see A Landscape with a Great Tree?

A Landscape with a Great Tree is held by National Gallery of Art.

What movement is A Landscape with a Great Tree?

A Landscape with a Great Tree is associated with Baroque.

Can I buy a print of A Landscape with a Great Tree?

Museum-quality prints of A Landscape with a Great Tree are available made-to-order from Artifact World Gallery.

Artwork

A Landscape with a Great Tree

Herman van Swanevelt , 1628

A Landscape with a Great Tree is an ink drawing by the Baroque artist Herman van Swanevelt. It dates from 1628 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.

About this work

Overview

The composition centers on a solitary, robust tree rising from a rocky shoreline, its form defined by quick, overlapping lines that establish shadow and volume.

Herman van Swanevelt's 'A Landscape with a Great Tree,' executed in 1628, is a pen and brown ink drawing with brown wash over graphite on laid paper. The composition centers on a solitary, robust tree rising from a rocky shoreline, its form defined by quick, overlapping lines that establish shadow and volume. Below, the water is rendered with energetic strokes to depict choppy waves crashing against the land, creating a sense of movement and atmospheric turbulence.

In the distance, a faint line of hills or cliffs stretches across the horizon, executed in soft brown ink to suggest depth and recession. This work exemplifies the artist's early engagement with landscape subjects during the Dutch Golden Age, showcasing his skill in capturing natural elements through the interplay of line and wash. Created when the artist was establishing his reputation, the drawing reflects the period's interest in detailed observation of nature and the use of monochromatic tonalities to convey mood and spatial relationships without the full color palette of oil painting.

Subject & Meaning

The composition centers on a solitary, towering tree perched on a rugged shoreline. Below, choppy water laps against the rocks, while a faint horizon line suggests distant hills or cliffs. The isolated tree may function as a visual anchor, emphasizing the contrast between the stability of land and the restless sea.

Technique & Style

Van Swanevelt employed rapid, overlapping pen strokes to generate texture and shadow, creating a slightly rough surface that enhances the interplay of light and dark. Cross‑hatching builds depth, while the brown wash over graphite unifies the tonal range, giving the scene a muted, atmospheric quality typical of early 17th‑century Dutch landscape drawing.

History & Provenance

Created in 1628, the drawing is documented as part of Swannevelt’s early output, reflecting his developing approach to landscape representation. Its provenance traces through private collections before entering a museum holding, where it is catalogued as an example of the artist’s pen work on paper.