Artwork

Landscape with a Farm

Landscape with a Farm, by Marten Ryckaert, oil, 1627
Landscape with a Farm, by Marten Ryckaert, oil, 1627

Landscape with a Farm is an oil painting by the Flemish Baroque painting artist Marten Ryckaert. It dates from 1627 and is held in the collection of the Hermitage Museum.

About this work

Overview

Created in 1627, *Landscape with a Farm* is an oil painting by Flemish artist Marten Ryckaert (1587–1631). Executed in the late Baroque period, the work presents a tranquil countryside tableau that now forms part of the State Hermitage Museum’s collection in St. Petersburg.

Subject & Meaning

The composition centers on a modest village crossed by a stone bridge spanning a gentle stream. Figures attend to cattle and sheep near the water’s edge, while geese and other birds wheel overhead. Brick and timber houses with thatched roofs cluster beside a solitary, spreading tree, together suggesting a peaceful, everyday rural life.

Technique & Style

Ryckaert employs a softened, diffused light that bathes the scene in an afternoon glow, allowing shadows to merge subtly with illuminated areas. The brushwork is fine and controlled, typical of his small‑scale landscapes, and the palette reflects an Italianate influence, balancing warm earth tones with cool sky hues.

History & Provenance

Born and baptized in Antwerp, Ryckaert worked primarily in the Flemish tradition, producing imaginative yet detailed countryside views. After his death in 1631, the painting entered various private collections before being acquired by the State Hermitage Museum, where it remains on display as an example of early 17th‑century Flemish landscape painting.

Artist & collection

Portrait of Marten Ryckaert

Artist

Marten Ryckaert

Marten Ryckaert or Maerten Ryckaert (baptised 8 December 1587, Antwerp – 11 October 1631), was a Flemish landscape painter. He was known for his small, usually imaginary landscapes in an Italianate style.

Hermitage Museum

Museum

Hermitage Museum

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