A village by the water, in the foreground a shepherd with cattle, on the water a skiff, on the right a windmill
1651
Jan van Goyen was essentially the 17th-century equivalent of a travel vlogger, sketching the Dutch landscape on the spot with incredible speed. In this sweeping drawing, he captures a quintessential village scene with cows grazing in the foreground and a windmill standing guard on the right. Notice how the sky dominates the composition? That's his signature 'tonal' style, using vast, open spaces and monochromatic shades to create a sense of atmosphere. Ironically, despite being this prolific and famous, he died bankrupt after losing a fortune speculating on tulip bulbs during the infamous 'Tulip Mania' crash.
- Material
- Paper
Views: 6