Frozen Moat Outside City Walls

Artist Jan Asselijn (Dutch, 1610–1652)

Dateabout 1647

Mediumoil on canvas

Dimensions67.3 x 106 cm (26 1/2 x 41 3/4 in.)
Frame: 90.2 x 130.2 cm (35 1/2 x 51 1/4 in.)

ClassificationsPaintings

Credit LineEliza S. Paine Fund in memory of William R. and Frances T. C. Paine

Terms

canvas

Object number1969.24

DescriptionHeavy ramparts of ochry-orange color, crenellations, at left and receeding into center distance; barge moored at embankment, left center; grey wintery sky, broken by areas of light blue; several figures and laden mules proceeding along frozen waterway.
Label TextWinter landscapes are rare in Asselijn's oeuvre. This one can be dated around 1647 when Asselijn returned to Holland from a stay in Italy. The contrast between the grandeur of the city wall and the stormy sky, and the simple actions of the peasants, dwarfed and chilled by their surroundings, is eloquent. Asselijn was born in Dieppe, France. He studied in The Hague and lived in Rome from 1641 to 1646. He is best known for his views of Italianate landscapes, which he painted both in Italy and in Amsterdam after his return.ProvenanceJohannes Jansz. Verkolje sale, Amsterdam, October 24, 1763, no. 34; probably Christie's London sale, July 26, 1935, no. 190 (anonymous owner); Sotheby's London sale, June 23, 1937, no. 92 (anonymous owner); Lady Frances Vyvyan, London; Christie's London sale, June 23, 1950, no. 1; Duits (dealer), London; private collection, England; Gooden and Fox Ltd., London; sold to the Museum, 1969.

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