A Landscape with a River at the Foot of a Hill
- Artist: Jacob de Wet the Elder
- Date: probably about 1646
- Medium: oil on wood
- Museum: The National Gallery
- Collection record: The National Gallery website
Listen to the free audio guide
About this artwork
This is "A Landscape with a River at the Foot of a Hill" painted in the Dutch tradition by Jacob de Wet the Elder. The painting dates back to around 1646 and features oil on wood as its medium.
You can see that this landscape doesn't depict any biblical figures, which makes it quite unique in Jacob de Wet's oeuvre. Even so, you might notice some familiar motifs - like that stunted tree in the foreground or the castle tower behind it - they reappear with slight variations in his other works, such as "Abraham and Melchizedek".
At this time, landscape paintings weren't as highly regarded as scenes from the Bible or classical mythology. But if you look closely at Jacob de Wet's skillful rendering of the stormy evening sky and the twisted trees against it, you might see a hint of Rembrandt's sense of drama.
The overall effect is quite striking, with the rushing river in the foreground creating movement and energy within the painting.
See it in person
A Landscape with a River at the Foot of a Hill 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.
