Object of the Day: A Dutch Landscape, 1810

This rather large Dutch landscape painting dates to 1810. It is signed “A.J. v. G.” next to the date “in Januari, 1810.” I confess I have no idea who the artist is though I’ve done a fair amount of research.


The painting is, however, clearly Dutch in origin. A typical Dutch color palette of icy blues and pine greens, the scene depicts a man loading a small boat which has been dragged to shore next to a stone dam. Dutch painting often devoted huge amounts of canvas space to contrasting the sky against both natural features and man-made structures. Here, the wildness of the trees is an interesting counterpoint to the still sky, and, even more so, a vivid contrast to the rigidity of the stone wall.

Despite its unknown artist, I’m terribly fond of this painting. I find it to be very serene and calming. A sense of something peaceful is often lacking in our daily lives. I feel that the Dutch had the right idea with their artwork as many artists from the Netherlands yearned to achieve the utmost in tranquility and beauty with their work.