A Landscape with Classical Ruins
- Artist: Frederick de Moucheron
- Date: about 1660
- Medium: oil on canvas
- Museum: The National Gallery
- Collection record: The National Gallery website
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About this artwork
This is "A Landscape with Classical Ruins" by Frederick de Moucheron. Painted in the Dutch tradition, it's a stunning example of how artists during this time period were fascinated by the ruins of ancient civilizations.
Here, we see a peaceful scene unfolding in the Campagna, the countryside around Rome. A woman sits upright, holding her baby, while a man with his back to us points towards a sunlit tower overlooking the distant valley. The couple seems completely absorbed in their own world, oblivious to the rather adventurous dog exploring the fallen masonry under the columns.
Notice how the artist has painted the columns slightly off centre, leaning almost imperceptibly to one side - it's enough to be unsettling, especially with the tomb-like blocks overhead that look like they're about to fall. The ruins tower over the people beneath them, giving a sense of grandeur and decay at the same time.
The scene is bathed in a cool Northern light, which was a departure from the typical Italianate landscapes that were popular during this period. This suggests that de Moucheron may have been influenced by his travels to France before returning to Amsterdam.
Painted around 1660 using oil on canvas, "A Landscape with Classical Ruins" is a beautiful example of how art can transport us to another time and place.
See it in person
A Landscape with Classical Ruins 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.
