Artwork

Village with Pond

Village with Pond, by Jacobus Buys, ink, 1782
Village with Pond, by Jacobus Buys, ink, 1782

Village with Pond is an ink print by the Romanticist artist Jacobus Buys. It dates from 1782 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art. Created around 1782, this aquatint by Cornelis Ploos van Amstel depicts a tranquil village setting centered on a shallow pond.

About this work

Overview

Created around 1782, this aquatint by Cornelis Ploos van Amstel depicts a tranquil village setting centered on a shallow pond. Rendered in a warm red‑brown tone on laid paper, the image balances natural and built elements, offering a quiet glimpse of rural life in the late eighteenth century.

Subject & Meaning

The composition presents a modest settlement framed by trees, with a church spire rising above the rooftops. Figures are shown fishing, tending livestock, and moving along pathways, suggesting everyday labor and community rhythm. Birds in the sky and the gently rippling water contribute to an atmosphere of calm continuity.

Technique & Style

Ploos van Amstel employed aquatint combined with roulette work and selective burnishing, allowing subtle gradations of tone in the red‑brown ink. The laid‑paper support adds a faint texture that enhances the sense of depth, while the handling of light and shadow creates a modest three‑dimensional effect characteristic of late‑Baroque printmaking.

History & Provenance

The print originates from the artist’s productive period in the Netherlands during the 1780s, a time when he explored landscape and genre subjects through print media. It has been documented in several nineteenth‑century collections of Dutch prints, though its precise ownership trail before entering public holdings remains limited.

Artist & collection

Portrait of Jacobus Buys

Artist

Jacobus Buys

Jacobus Buys (1726–1798) was an artist, born in Weesp.

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