A Pool surrounded by Trees
- Artist: Jacob van Ruisdael
- Date: about 1665
- Medium: oil on canvas
- Museum: The National Gallery
- Collection record: The National Gallery website
Listen to the free audio guide
About this artwork
"A Pool surrounded by Trees" painted in the Dutch north, around 1665, is a masterpiece of Dutch landscape painting. Jacob van Ruisdael's work here is notable for its serene atmosphere and rich colours. The clouds seem suspended over the forest, while the leaves of the trees are quiet, yet full of life.
Notice how the deep greens of the oaks contrast with the gold leaves of the birch saplings growing out of the pool and the silvery bark of the dead tree on the right. Bushes push out of the shadows, glowing with amber and gold, while nut-brown lichen grows on the fallen branch in the water.
The tranquillity of the scene is only disturbed by a big white dog splashing through the shallows after an almost invisible hare. But even this doesn't detract from the overall sense of calm. The colours in the picture are truly rich and lustrous, inviting you to step into the peaceful world before us.
See it in person
A Pool surrounded by Trees 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.
