Artwork
River in Winter
River in Winter is an oil painting by the Dutch Golden Age artist Aert van der Neer. It dates from 1645 and is held in the collection of the Hermitage Museum.
About this work
Overview
River in Winter is a 1645 oil painting by Aert van der Neer, a Dutch Golden Age landscape painter.
Subject & Meaning
The painting depicts a serene winter scene with a frozen river, bare trees, and distant buildings, including a windmill and church steeple. Figures ice skate on the river, conveying a sense of everyday life in a cold, wintry landscape.
Technique & Style
Executed in muted oil paints, the work features a predominantly blue and gray palette, evoking a cold atmosphere. The artist's use of color and composition creates a peaceful, quiet mood.
History & Provenance
Aert van der Neer, a contemporary of Aelbert Cuyp and Meindert Hobbema, created River in Winter during his active period in the Dutch Golden Age, a time when he worked in relative obscurity despite his contributions to the landscape genre.
Artist & collection
Artist
Aert van der Neer, or Aernout or Artus (c. 1603 – 9 November 1677), was a landscape painter of the Dutch Golden Age, who specialized in small night scenes lit only by moonlight and fires, and snowy winter landscapes,…
