Artwork
Landscape with Herdsmen and Satan Sowing Darnel
Landscape with Herdsmen and Satan Sowing Darnel is an oil painting by the Early Baroque Italian artist Abraham Bloemaert. It dates from 1604 and is held in the collection of the Hermitage Museum.
About this work
Overview
This painting exemplifies the Dutch artist's engagement with both landscape and history subjects during the early 17th century.
Abraham Bloemaert's Landscape with Herdsmen and Satan Sowing Darnel, painted in 1604, is an oil work that blends a serene rural setting with a narrative drawn from biblical scripture. This painting exemplifies the Dutch artist's engagement with both landscape and history subjects during the early 17th century. It is currently housed in the State Hermitage Museum, representing a significant piece from his mature period.
Subject & Meaning
The painting illustrates the Parable of the Tares from the Gospel of Matthew, where an enemy sows weeds among good wheat. In the foreground, three figures, including a shepherd, are depicted in peaceful slumber under a tree, unaware of the hidden action. The title reveals the unseen presence of Satan, subtly sowing darnel, while a figure on the right holds a bundle of wheat, hinting at the parable's agricultural context and underlying spiritual conflict.
Technique & Style
Bloemaert, a prominent Dutch painter and printmaker, executed this work in an early Baroque Italian style, a shift from his earlier Mannerist leanings. He skillfully combined detailed landscape elements, such as a cow and distant hills, with a compelling narrative. His approach to art, which often encompassed both history paintings and landscapes, influenced a generation of artists, notably as a teacher to the Utrecht Caravaggisti.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Abraham Bloemaert (25 December 1566 – 27 January 1651) was a Dutch painter and printmaker who used etching and engraving.
