A Nobleman's Sleigh on the Ice
from circa 1646 until 1646
Philips Wouwerman captures the frosty fun of the Dutch Little Ice Age in this lively winter scene. While children bundle up to pull a sled across the frozen water, a fancy swan-shaped sleigh carries a nobleman past rustic thatched cottages. Wouwerman was absolutely obsessed with painting horses—he included them in nearly all of his 800 works—though here the magnificent brown steed takes a backseat to the icy playground. It’s a perfect snapshot of 17th-century Dutch winter leisure, complete with smoke curling from the chimneys and birds braving the chilly sky.
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