Artwork

Ansicht des Campo Vaccino in Rom (Aufbruch der Israeliten aus Ägypten)

Ansicht des Campo Vaccino in Rom (Aufbruch der Israeliten aus Ägypten) is an unspecified painting by the Flemish Baroque painting artist Willem van Nieulandt II. It dates from 1612 and is held in the collection of the Kunsthistorisches Museum.

About this work

Overview

Willem van Nieulandt II, a Flemish artist active in the early 1600s, painted *Ansicht des Campo Vaccino in Rom (Aufbruch der Israeliten aus Ägypten)* in 1612. The canvas merges a panoramic view of Rome’s ancient Campo Vaccino with a biblical episode of the Exodus, illustrating the painter’s habit of placing historical narratives within recognizable Italian landscapes.

Subject & Meaning

The foreground teems with figures dressed in classical robes, some seated, others standing, holding vessels and baskets that suggest a hurried departure. Above them, a cloudy sky and distant birds frame the scene, while the background reveals the ruined columns and arches of the Roman Forum, linking the ancient Roman setting with the Israelites’ flight from Egypt.

Technique & Style

Executed in the Flemish Baroque idiom, the work employs a muted palette of browns, greens and blues, emphasizing atmospheric depth. Van Nieulandt’s meticulous handling of architectural detail and crowded human activity reflects his Italianate landscape approach, where precise rendering of ruins coexists with lively, narrative figuration.

History & Provenance

After its creation, the painting entered various collections before being acquired by the Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna, where it remains part of the museum’s holdings of 17th‑century Flemish art.

Context

Van Nieulandt worked across Antwerp, Italy and the Dutch Republic, a career that informed his synthesis of Northern painting techniques with Southern subject matter. This piece exemplifies the period’s fascination with antiquity and biblical themes, a trend common among Flemish artists who traveled to Italy for inspiration.