VELDE, Esaias van de
(b. 1587, Amsterdam, d. 1630, Den Haag)

The Joy of Ice on a Frozen Canal near a Walled Town

1618
Oil on panel, 30 x 50 cm
Alte Pinakothek, Munich

Turning away from the carefully structured and mannered approach of his predecessors, Van de Velde was among the earliest proponents of a more naturalistic approach to landscape in the Netherlands. His subjects are ordinary scenes, set in landscapes or small towns, as here, and are presented with an utter lack of grandiosity. He paints them from a low vantage point, which creates a sense of immediacy for the viewer.

Esaias Van de Velde's pattern of composition were clearly influenced by the Flemish landscapists, in particular Gillis van Coninxloo and David Vinckboons, two immigrants who settled in Amsterdam. The present painting demonstrates that he sought to present his subject - the frozen canal on the edge of a town and the small scenes set on it - in a more immediate and realistic way.

This painting belongs to a small group winter landscape produced by Van de Velde in the last fifteen years of his life.




© Web Gallery of Art, created by Emil Krén and Daniel Marx.