Artwork
Landscape with a Stag Hunt

Landscape with a Stag Hunt is an oil painting by Gillis Rombouts. It dates from 1661 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum.
About this work
Overview
Landscape with a Stag Hunt, created circa 1661 by Dutch Golden Age painter Gillis Rombouts, is a dynamic oil painting depicting a forest scene amidst a hunting event.
Subject & Meaning
The painting captures a moment of intense activity in a wooded landscape, with hunters on horseback, dressed in distinctive red attire, accompanied by agile dogs, conveying a sense of imminent action and energy.
Technique & Style
Rombouts utilized oil paint to achieve a rich, detailed visual effect. A central tree with a sturdy trunk and varied foliage (in shades of green and brown) anchors the composition, while a broad color palette generates depth and texture, emphasizing movement.
History & Provenance
The work is part of the Victoria and Albert Museum's collection, reflecting its significance within Dutch Golden Age art. Rombouts, active in Haarlem, was known for his diverse subjects, including genre scenes and seasonal landscapes.
Context
Produced during the Dutch Golden Age, this painting exemplifies the period's emphasis on capturing everyday life and natural environments with vivid realism. The stag hunt theme also touches on the leisure activities of the aristocracy, common in 17th-century European art.
Artist & collection
Artist
Gillis Rombouts (1630, Haarlem – 1678, Haarlem), was a Dutch Golden Age landscape painter. He is known for his paintings of genre scenes, historical scenes, landscapes, beaches and winter landscapes.













