Artwork
Two Beams Floating in the Water
Two Beams Floating in the Water is an ink print by the Baroque artist Allart van Everdingen. It dates from 1650 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Created circa 1650, *Two Beams Floating in the Water* is an etching by Dutch artist Allaert van Everdingen. The print shows a quiet water scene in which two wooden beams rest on the surface, framed by distant trees and low hills. The composition is balanced and invites quiet contemplation through its restrained palette and careful handling of light.
Subject & Meaning
The work focuses on a simple, everyday motif—a pair of timber beams adrift on calm water. By isolating these objects against a muted landscape, Everdingen emphasizes stillness and the subtle interaction of natural elements, suggesting a moment of pause within a broader, perhaps rural, environment.
Technique & Style
Executed in copperplate etching, the image relies on fine line work and tonal washes typical of Everdingen’s printmaking. The artist employs chiaroscuro to model the beams and water, creating depth through delicate gradations of shadow and highlights that convey atmospheric perspective without overt detail.
History & Provenance
Allaert van Everdingen (1621–1675) was active as both painter and printmaker during the Dutch Golden Age. This etching belongs to a series of landscape prints he produced in the mid‑17th century, though specific ownership records for this particular impression are not documented in surviving catalogues.
Context
The print reflects the broader Baroque interest in natural scenery and the quiet moments of daily life that Dutch artists explored in the 1600s. Everdingen’s work often combined meticulous observation with a modest, almost lyrical tone, aligning with contemporary trends toward realistic yet composed landscape representation.
Artist & collection
Artist
Allaert van Everdingen (Dutch pronunciation: ; bapt. 18 June 1621 – 8 November 1675 (buried)), was a Dutch Golden Age painter and printmaker in etching and mezzotint.
Pilgrim with a Dog
Three Goats at the River
Hamlet on a Hill
Pilgrim with a Dog
Boat at a River Bank with Three Goats
Man near Entry of a Ruinous Hedge
Farm with Shed and Draw Well
Boat at a River Bank with Three Goats
Ruinous Hut
Three Cottages on a Rock
Three Goats at the River
Two Beams Floating in the Water