Artwork

Landscape with a Peasant Couple and Baby

Landscape with a Peasant Couple and Baby, by Lucas van Uden, 1643
Landscape with a Peasant Couple and Baby, by Lucas van Uden, 1643

Landscape with a Peasant Couple and Baby is a print by Lucas van Uden. It dates from 1643 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.

About this work

Overview

Landscape with a Peasant Couple and Baby is a circa 1643 print by Lucas van Uden, a notable Flemish landscape artist based in Antwerp. The work captures a serene rural moment, contrasting a foreground scene of everyday life with a detailed, naturalistic backdrop.

Subject & Meaning

The print portrays a peasant couple with their infant in a tranquil countryside setting, juxtaposing the intimacy of family life against the broader, meticulously rendered landscape. The scene conveys a sense of peaceful coexistence between human subjects and nature.

Technique & Style

Executed with loose, quick lines suggestive of a rapid sketch, the print emphasizes the silhouettes and forms of trees and architectural elements over minute details, reflecting van Uden’s characteristic landscape approach.

History & Provenance

Created around 1643, the print bears an inscription naming Lucas van Uden alongside another, unidentified individual, whose role or relation to the work remains unclear.

Context

Typical of van Uden’s collaborative practice, this work may have involved input from a figure painter, though it remains one of his original compositions. Similar pieces can be found in collections like The Cleveland Museum of Art.

Legacy

As part of van Uden’s oeuvre, *Landscape with a Peasant Couple and Baby* contributes to the Flemish landscape tradition of the 17th century, characterized by meticulous naturalism and everyday life themes.

Artist & collection

Portrait of Lucas van Uden

Artist

Lucas van Uden

Lucas van Uden (18 October 1595 – 4 November 1672) was a leading Flemish landscape painter, draughtsman and engraver, who lived and worked in Antwerp.

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