The Valkhof at Nijmegen
1652-1654
Aelbert Cuyp was the absolute master of the 'golden hour,' and this view of Nijmegen proves it. He took a standard Dutch river scene and bathed it in a warm, hazy light that makes the Netherlands look almost like Italy. In the foreground, cows and herdsmen are chilling by the water, completely ignoring the massive medieval fortress—the Valkhof—looming on the hill behind them. It’s a peaceful 17th-century snapshot where nature and history coexist under a dramatic, cloud-filled sky.
- Technique
- Oil on canvas
- Material
- Canvas
Location: National Gallery of Art, Washington D.C.
Views: 2