Artwork
Landscape with the devil who sows weeds
Landscape with the devil who sows weeds is a paint painting by the Northern Renaissance artist Kerstiaen de Keuninck. It dates from 1606 and is held in the collection of the Gemäldegalerie Berlin.
About this work
Overview
Landscape with the Devil who Sows Weeds is a painting by Kerstiaen de Keuninck, dated to around 1606, currently part of the collection at the Gemäldegalerie Berlin.
Subject & Meaning
The painting depicts a chaotic scene where a figure, interpreted as the devil, sows weeds amidst a landscape. In the foreground, a man flees, while others lie on the ground and animals scatter, suggesting disruption and turmoil. The composition contrasts this chaos with a serene, if cloudy, background of hills and houses, under a dominant central tree.
Technique & Style
De Keuninck's use of a towering, branched tree as a central element and the juxtaposition of a crowded, dynamic foreground with a more subdued background reflect characteristics of Flemish landscape painting of the period. The cloudy sky adds depth and mood to the scene.
History & Provenance
Created circa 1606, the painting is now housed at the Gemäldegalerie Berlin, though specific details of its ownership history prior to its acquisition by the museum are not provided here.
Context
This work can be contextualized within the broader tradition of 17th-century Flemish landscape painting, which often incorporated allegorical or symbolic elements into natural settings. The theme of the devil sowing weeds may allude to biblical or moral themes common in the era.
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Artist & collection
