Who painted A Landscape with a Great Tree?

A Landscape with a Great Tree was painted by Herman van Swanevelt in 1628.

Where can I see A Landscape with a Great Tree?

A Landscape with a Great Tree is held by National Gallery of Art.

What movement is A Landscape with a Great Tree?

A Landscape with a Great Tree is associated with Baroque.

Artwork

A Landscape with a Great Tree

Herman van Swanevelt , 1628

A Landscape with a Great Tree is an ink drawing by the Baroque artist Herman van Swanevelt. It dates from 1628 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.

About this work

Overview

Herman van Swanevelt’s drawing titled *A Landscape with a Great Tree* was executed in 1628. Rendered on laid paper, the work combines pen, brown ink, and a brown wash applied over an initial graphite sketch. The piece belongs to the drawing genre and measures the artist’s interest in atmospheric coastal scenes.

Subject & Meaning

The composition centers on a solitary, towering tree perched on a rugged shoreline. Below, choppy water laps against the rocks, while a faint horizon line suggests distant hills or cliffs. The isolated tree may function as a visual anchor, emphasizing the contrast between the stability of land and the restless sea.

Technique & Style

Van Swanevelt employed rapid, overlapping pen strokes to generate texture and shadow, creating a slightly rough surface that enhances the interplay of light and dark. Cross‑hatching builds depth, while the brown wash over graphite unifies the tonal range, giving the scene a muted, atmospheric quality typical of early 17th‑century Dutch landscape drawing.

History & Provenance

Created in 1628, the drawing is documented as part of Swannevelt’s early output, reflecting his developing approach to landscape representation. Its provenance traces through private collections before entering a museum holding, where it is catalogued as an example of the artist’s pen work on paper.