A Cottage among Trees on the Bank of a Stream
- Artist: Cornelis Decker
- Date: 1669
- Medium: oil on canvas
- Museum: The National Gallery
- Collection record: The National Gallery website
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About this artwork
This is the "A Cottage among Trees on the Bank of a Stream" by Cornelis Decker. Painted in the Dutch tradition, it's a beautiful example of 17th-century landscape art.
Look closely at this painting and you'll see a serene hilly landscape with trees swaying gently in the wind and a stream running through rocky terrain. On the hillside, there's a charming thatched cottage with a dovecote on top and a little family gathered at the door.
But what really catches the eye is the scene below, where a horseman splashes through the water, stopping to chat with a man and his dog. A second figure runs ahead, urging his hounds onward with a wave of his arm.
If you've seen other works by Jacob van Ruisdael, you might notice some similarities here – Decker often painted in his manner. However, there's something missing in this picture. The sense of movement is lacking, especially in the sky, and the multiple shades of green that Van Ruisdael achieved are also absent.
Despite these limitations, "A Cottage among Trees on the Bank of a Stream" remains an endearing and peaceful painting. It's a wonderful example of Dutch landscape art from 1669, painted with oil on canvas.
See it in person
A Cottage among Trees on the Bank of a Stream hangs in The National Gallery on Trafalgar Square, London — free to enter. Point your phone at any artwork there and audioguide.london plays a free audio guide in six languages — no app download needed.
