River Landscape with the Pellecussen Gate near Utrecht
1648
Jan van Goyen masters the art of the 'tonal landscape' here, using a restricted palette of earthy browns and greys to unify the sky and water. The massive, cloudy sky takes up two-thirds of the view, pressing down on the crumbling brick gatehouse and rustic buildings along the riverbank. In the foreground, a ferry boat heavy with passengers and barrels cuts through the calm water, capturing a quiet moment of daily transport in 17th-century Netherlands. Van Goyen painted hundreds of these scenes, often sketching them on location before finishing them in his studio with incredible speed.
- Technique
- oil painting
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