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Winter Landscape at the Farm 17th-century Dutch...

Price Tax incl.:
3800 EUR

Winter Landscape at the Farm 17th-century Dutch school, entourage of Klaes Molenaer (Haarlem, 1630- 1676) Oil on panel, dimensions: h. 19 cm, l. 27 cm Later period molded and blackened wood frame. Dimensions with frame: h. 43 cm, l. 51 cm The composition of our work is divided into two distinct parts: on the left, the farmhouse with its snow-covered thatched roof, separated by an open path, and on the right, the icy river. The partly clear sky heralds a sunny winter's day. But winter activities are not without danger. In the middle of the path, we see a group of two people, one of whom has had a fall and is now sitting on the ground, while his companion helps him back on his way. On the frozen river we see two walkers on the ice, one struggling for balance while his companion offers a hand. Some passers-by don't venture out onto the frozen river, but head for and cross the wooden bridge. The almost monochrome palette of our work, made up of whites, grays and browns, is punctuated by touches of more acidic colors scattered throughout the landscape, accentuating certain details, mainly the characters' clothing. Our artist's precise brushwork, with its attention to detail, enriches the composition with its strong contrasts and elaborate graphics. The details of the vegetation - trees with bare branches, shrubs with frosted foliage, reeds around the river - are painted in shades of gray and brown, accentuating the icy, frozen atmosphere. To counterbalance this effect of "time standing still", the painter integrates numerous figures into the composition, animating the silent landscape and bringing it back to life. The sun brings a great deal of cheerfulness to this painting, creating illuminated areas with touches of intense white, and shadowy areas with shades of brown and ochre. Our lively scene captures the life and atmosphere of a sunny winter's day in the countryside. Winter is one of the most common themes in 17th-century Dutch painting. Snowy landscapes originated in the period known as the Little Ice Age, from the late 16th to the 17th century. Dutch artists immortalized these moments to give us faithful testimony to the cold climate and particularly harsh winters of the period. It's interesting to note that the painters' landscapes and winter scenes deliberately reflect the prosperity and joie de vivre of a fledgling nation, which is why these landscapes are still alive with people who, despite the cold, continue to go about their lives.

Galerie Nicolas Lenté
2, rue des Saints-Pères
75007 Paris