Old Castle Gate in Nijmegen
1648
Jan van Goyen lets a massive, cloudy sky dominate this view of the crumbling Valkhof fortress and old castle gate in Nijmegen. The brickwork is weathered and towers are overgrown, giving it a romantic, ruinous feel typical of the Dutch Golden Age. Down by the river Waal, tiny figures haul in fishing nets, grounding the majestic architecture in everyday life. Van Goyen was incredibly prolific, creating over a thousand paintings, yet he still died bankrupt—proof that being a master of the 'tonal landscape' didn't always pay the bills!
- Technique
- Oil on panel
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