Artwork
View in the woods
View in the woods is an unspecified painting by the Dutch Golden Age artist Jan van der Heyden. It dates from 1675 and is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1675, *View in the Woods* is a landscape executed in the glass‑painting technique known as verre églomisé. The work belongs to the Dutch Golden Age and is part of the Rijksmuseum’s collection. Its composition presents a tightly packed forest interior, where shafts of light break through a canopy of dark foliage to reveal a rocky outcrop.
Subject & Meaning
The scene captures a secluded woodland, dominated by massive, twisted trunks and a central stone formation. Dark green leaves, nearly black, form a dense backdrop, while pale blue sky glimpses through the canopy. The interplay of illumination and shadow suggests a quiet, contemplative atmosphere, emphasizing nature’s depth and the subtle drama of light within a forest setting.
Technique & Style
The artist’s brushwork varies from thick, textured strokes on the trunks to finer lines in the foliage, enhancing the tactile illusion of bark and leaves.
Van der Heyden employed verre églomisé, a process that involves applying pigment to the reverse side of a polished glass panel and then gilding or polishing the surface. This method yields a reflective, metallic sheen that intensifies the contrast between light and dark areas. The artist’s brushwork varies from thick, textured strokes on the trunks to finer lines in the foliage, enhancing the tactile illusion of bark and leaves.
History & Provenance
Jan van der Heyden, better known for his meticulous cityscapes and contributions to early firefighting engineering, produced this rare glass work during his Baroque period. After remaining in private hands for several centuries, the painting entered the Rijksmuseum’s holdings, where it is displayed as an example of the artist’s experimental approach to landscape and material.
Own this work as a print
Artist & collection
Artist
Jan van der Heyden (5 March 1637, Gorinchem – 28 March 1712, Amsterdam) was a Dutch Baroque-era painter, glass painter, draughtsman and printmaker.
