Artwork

Landscape with the sale of Joseph

Landscape with the sale of Joseph, by Herman van Swanevelt, oil, 1635
Landscape with the sale of Joseph, by Herman van Swanevelt, oil, 1635

Landscape with the sale of Joseph is an oil painting by the Dutch Golden Age artist Herman van Swanevelt. It dates from 1635 and is held in the collection of the Fitzwilliam Museum.

About this work

Overview

Landscape with the sale of Joseph is a 1635 oil painting by Herman van Swanevelt, currently housed at the Fitzwilliam Museum.

Subject & Meaning

The painting depicts a serene scene of figures in antiquated attire gathered near a rocky outcrop under trees, with one figure pointing to something on the ground, amidst a backdrop of a distant building and a cloudy sky.

Technique & Style

Van Swanevelt employed smooth brushstrokes to blend colors, achieving a gentle, soft-lit effect that permeates the landscape.

History & Provenance

Created in 1635, the work's provenance is traced to its current holding at the Fitzwilliam Museum, though specific ownership history prior to this is not detailed here.

Context

While the scene's tranquility and use of light are notable, the painting's broader contextual significance within Van Swanevelt's oeuvre or 17th-century landscape painting trends is not explicitly outlined in available information.

Legacy

The painting's influence or reception over time is not specified in the provided details, focusing instead on its descriptive and factual attributes.

Artist & collection

Portrait of Herman van Swanevelt

Artist

Herman van Swanevelt

Herman van Swanevelt (1603–1655) was a Dutch artist, born in Woerden.

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