Artwork
The crossing of the Somme
The crossing of the Somme is an oil painting by the Flemish Baroque painting artist Peter Snayers. It dates from 1650 and is held in the collection of the Kunsthistorisches Museum.
About this work
Overview
The Crossing of the Somme is a 17th-century oil painting in the Flemish Baroque style, created around 1650 by Peter Snayers, a Flemish artist known for his detailed battle scenes.
Subject & Meaning
The painting depicts a large army crossing a river, with soldiers on horseback and on foot in the foreground, and the river dominating the background. The scene is set against a cloudy sky with birds flying overhead.
Technique & Style
Snayers employed a topographic approach, depicting the battle from an elevated perspective. His work often involved collaborations with landscape painters, reflecting his connections to the artistic circles of Antwerp and Brussels.
History & Provenance
The painting is now held in the Kunsthistorisches Museum, a testament to Snayers' established reputation in his time.
Artist & collection
Artist
Peter Snayers or Pieter Snayers (1592–1667) was a Flemish painter known for his panoramic battle scenes, depictions of cavalry skirmishes, attacks on villages, coaches and convoys and hunting scenes.
The defeat at Grancourt, 1639
The Munich Affair
The Siege of Presnitz, 1641
The Digging Out of the Ghent-Bruges Canal
The battle at Lützen, 1632
The Battle of Thionville, the Arrival of the Imperial forces under Piccolomini , 19 June 1639
The siege of Neuburg, 1641
Scene from the Thirty Years' War
Battle of Vimpfen on 6 May 1622
The Battle of Thionville, 19 June 1639 between the Imperial forces under Piccolomini and the French
Prince Maurits at the Battle of Nieuwpoort, 2 July 1600
Crossing the Somme in Cérisy