Who painted Landscape with coursing?

Landscape with coursing was painted by Jan Wijnants in 1668.

Where can I see Landscape with coursing?

Landscape with coursing is held by Fitzwilliam Museum.

Artwork

Landscape with coursing

Landscape with coursing is an oil painting by Jan Wijnants. It dates from 1668 and is held in the collection of the Fitzwilliam Museum.

About this work

Overview

Created around 1668, this oil painting by Dutch artist Jan Wijnants presents a quiet countryside scene in which a group of figures is engaged in the sport of coursing. A prominent rock formation occupies the foreground, while scattered trees and shrubbery frame the landscape under a partly clouded sky that reveals occasional blue patches.

Subject & Meaning

The work captures a moment of rural leisure, illustrating the practice of coursing—a hunt where dogs chase game by sight. By placing the activity within a tranquil natural setting, the composition emphasizes the harmony between human recreation and the surrounding environment, suggesting a balanced relationship between sport and landscape.

Technique & Style

Wijnants employs oil paint to achieve layered textures and a convincing sense of depth, using subtle gradations of light and shadow to model the rock, foliage, and distant horizon. The muted palette and careful handling of atmospheric perspective lend the scene a calm, realistic atmosphere typical of mid‑seventeenth‑century Dutch landscape painting.

History & Provenance

The painting is part of the collection of the Fitzwilliam Museum in Cambridge, where it has been displayed as an example of Dutch Golden Age landscape art. Its acquisition date and prior ownership are not extensively documented, but the work is attributed to Wijnants based on stylistic analysis and dated circa 1668.