Artwork

River Landscape with a Distant Bridge

River Landscape with a Distant Bridge, by Jan van Goyen, chalk, 1628
River Landscape with a Distant Bridge, by Jan van Goyen, chalk, 1628

River Landscape with a Distant Bridge is a chalk drawing by the Baroque artist Jan van Goyen. It dates from 1628 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.

About this work

The painting is called River Landscape with a Distant Bridge.
It was made by Jan van Goyen between 1627 and 1629.
The artist used black chalk on laid paper to create this work, which is part of the Baroque movement, known for its dramatic lighting and intense emotions, and you can learn more about this style by looking into the movement: Baroque.

Overview

Jan van Goyen's River Landscape with a Distant Bridge is a drawing created in black chalk on laid paper between 1627 and 1629. It exemplifies the artist's characteristic depiction of Dutch landscapes.

Subject & Meaning

The drawing represents a typical Dutch river scene, a frequent subject in Van Goyen's work. It showcases his focus on capturing the atmosphere of the Dutch countryside.

Technique & Style

Executed in black chalk, the drawing demonstrates Van Goyen's restrained and atmospheric style, characteristic of his landscape works. It is associated with the Baroque movement, known for its dramatic lighting.

History & Provenance

The drawing was produced during the early 17th century, a period when Van Goyen was actively creating a large body of landscape works, including over one thousand drawings.

Artist & collection

Portrait of Jan van Goyen

Artist

Jan van Goyen

Jan Josephszoon van Goyen (Dutch pronunciation: ; 13 January 1596 – 27 April 1656) was a Dutch landscape painter.

This work is in the public domain (CC0). Image source: National Gallery of Art open access. Spotted an error in this record? Tell us.