A River with Fishermen
- Artist: Claude-Joseph Vernet
- Date: 1751
- Medium: oil on canvas
- Museum: The National Gallery
- Collection record: The National Gallery website
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About this artwork
This is "A River with Fishermen" by Claude-Joseph Vernet, painted in the 18th century. The artist has used a variety of techniques to draw our eye into the composition, including the brightly lit woman in red and the jutting tree.
Vernet's idealised vision of the Italianate landscape continues the classical landscape tradition of Claude and Poussin. You can see this in the way he's reused the temple-like building in the middle ground, which is a nod to the Pantheon in Rome. The perspective is enhanced by the zigzag of the river between the rocky banks and also by the way that the landscape becomes paler as it recedes into the distance.
Look at the man with a rod and a basket of fish sitting next to the river - his dog has been alerted to something in the water, but the fishing line is slack. Perhaps he's just about to get a bite. Vernet's use of light and shadow creates a sense of depth and atmosphere in the painting.
The style of the classical building and the hilltop town with its tall tower suggests that this tranquil scene is intended to evoke an idealised vision of the Italian countryside. The overall effect is one of calm and serenity, a far cry from the dramatic landscapes of artists like Salvator Rosa.
See it in person
A River with Fishermen 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.
