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Adriaen van de Velde, 'Golfers on the Ice near Haarlem', 1668

About the work

Overview

Paintings of life on the frozen waterways of Holland during the Little Ice Age were very popular with collectors at the time. Many artists, usually known for painting rivers or landscapes, produced them, and Adriaen van de Velde was one of the most successful. But in this painting he has concentrated on individual characters and their activities, rather than details of the icy landscape.

The men in the foreground play kolf, the forerunner of golf. People of all ranks could take part, and it was guaranteed to draw onlookers to give opinions and advice. The player with jaunty red tassels on his petticoat breeches takes aim to hit the post put in position by the man just peeping out from behind him. A young boy, hands stuffed in his pockets and a hint of snow on one boot, watches with his kolf stick at his side, as if longing to join in.

Key facts

Details

Full title
Golfers on the Ice near Haarlem
Artist dates
1636 - 1672
Date made
1668
Medium and support
oil on wood
Dimensions
30.3 × 36.4 cm
Inscription summary
Signed; Dated
Acquisition credit
Bought, 1871
Inventory number
NG869
Location
Room 16
Collection
Main Collection
Previous owners
Frame
17th-century Dutch Frame

About this record

If you know more about this painting or have spotted an error, please contact us. Please note that exhibition histories are listed from 2009 onwards. Bibliographies may not be complete; more comprehensive information is available in the National Gallery Library.

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