Jan van Goyen, A River Scene, with Fishermen laying a Net
Full title | A River Scene, with Fishermen laying a Net |
---|---|
Artist | Jan van Goyen |
Artist dates | 1596 - 1656 |
Date made | 1638 |
Medium and support | Oil on oak |
Dimensions | 31.1 × 25.8 cm |
Inscription summary | Signed; Dated |
Acquisition credit | Salting Bequest, 1910 |
Inventory number | NG2580 |
Location | Not on display |
Collection | Main Collection |
Previous owners |
Darkened varnish has taken its toll, and the true colours in Jan van Goyen’s painting are difficult to make out. The picture is almost entirely given over to a vast sky, but there’s enough movement below to capture the atmosphere of a busy autumn day on the river.
A series of diagonal lines sweeps across the picture: the net of the fisherman hauling in his catch, the sails of the boats midstream and a tall pole in the distance. A shower threatens from the grey cloud overhead, but a small patch of bright turquoise – the headscarf of a woman hunched up against the chill on board the sailing boat – enlivens the muted palette.
Across the calm waters, a square church tower is just visible. It’s thought to be the tower of the Grote Kerk in Dordrecht, a town van Goyen often depicted in his paintings.
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