Artwork

Luistelijoita, kopio Adriaen van de Velden mukaan

Luistelijoita, kopio Adriaen van de Velden mukaan, by Ida Silfverberg, unspecified
Luistelijoita, kopio Adriaen van de Velden mukaan, by Ida Silfverberg, unspecified

Luistelijoita, kopio Adriaen van de Velden mukaan is an unspecified painting by Ida Silfverberg. It is held in the collection of the Finnish National Gallery. The work presents a winter landscape where a group of figures glide across a frozen expanse.

About this work

Overview

The work presents a winter landscape where a group of figures glide across a frozen expanse. Some are in motion on skates, while others stand on the ice, bundled in winter attire. A cluster of trees frames the scene, and a modest building with a tower rises in the distance, lending depth to the composition.

Subject & Meaning

The painting captures the social pastime of ice skating, a popular winter activity that combines leisure with communal gathering. By depicting individuals of varied ages and dress, it reflects everyday life and the seasonal rhythms of a northern climate, emphasizing both the enjoyment of the outdoors and the shared experience of winter recreation.

Technique & Style

Executed in a realistic manner, the artist attends closely to the textures of fur-lined garments and the reflective quality of the ice. Fine brushwork delineates the delicate play of light on snow and water, while the composition balances figures against a muted, atmospheric background, creating a sense of calm and spatial coherence.

History & Provenance

The image is a copy after a composition originally created by Dutch painter Adriaen van de Velden, known for his winter scenes. This replica is part of the collection of the Museum of Ethnography, where it is displayed as an example of the transmission of genre motifs across regions and periods.

Context

Winter genre paintings flourished in the 17th‑century Dutch tradition, where artists like van de Velden documented seasonal activities with meticulous observation. The work reflects this tradition, situating a local, possibly Finnish, setting within a broader European visual language that celebrated the interplay of nature, weather, and daily life.

Artist & collection

Artist

Ida Silfverberg

Ida Silfverberg spent her life quietly copying other artists—Dutch genre scenes, Italian card-players—like a painterly magpie.