Artwork
Statues and buildings on the water in a park
Statues and buildings on the water in a park is an oil painting by the Rococo painting artist Isaac de Moucheron. It dates from 1722 and is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum. Created in 1722, this oil painting presents a tranquil park where water, foliage, statues and modest structures coexist.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1722, this oil painting presents a tranquil park where water, foliage, statues and modest structures coexist. A broad expanse of water dominates the foreground, bordered by verdant plantings that lead the eye toward a sky softened by clouds. The composition balances natural and architectural elements, inviting contemplation of a leisurely landscape.
Subject & Meaning
The scene captures a cultivated garden setting, typical of early‑18th‑century Dutch leisure spaces. By placing statues and modest buildings beside the water, the artist suggests a harmonious relationship between art, architecture, and nature, reflecting contemporary ideals of order and aesthetic pleasure within a pastoral environment.
Technique & Style
Executed in oil on canvas, the work employs the light, decorative qualities associated with the Rococo movement. Fine brushwork renders the texture of stone statues and the reflective surface of the water, while layered glazes create depth in the foliage and sky, producing a luminous, atmospheric effect.
History & Provenance
The painting was produced by Isaac de Moucheron, a Dutch painter and interior decorator active in the early 1700s. It entered the collection of the Rijksmuseum, where it remains part of the institution’s holdings of Dutch landscape art, illustrating the artist’s contribution to the period’s visual culture.
Own this work as a print
Artist & collection
Artist
Isaac de Moucheron (1667–1744) was an 18th-century painter and interior decorator (wall painter) from the Dutch Republic.
