A Stream in the Dunes, with Two Bathers
- Artist: Philips Wouwerman
- Date: 1650-68
- Medium: oil on wood
- Museum: The National Gallery
- Collection record: The National Gallery website
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About this artwork
This is "A Stream in the Dunes, with Two Bathers" by Philips Wouwerman. Painted in the Dutch tradition, it's a beautiful example of a landscape from the 17th century. The stark outline of the broken fence against the sky gives a sense of forbidding isolation, and the house on the left bank seems to shut us out.
But look at the warmth of the yellows in the softer sand between the rocks - it completely changes the mood. And then there are the two small figures in the water, which adds a playful air that's not often seen in Wouwerman's dune paintings.
Wouwerman lived and worked in Haarlem for his entire career, and he knew these dunes well. But even though he was familiar with them, he still added imaginary details like the distant high hill in the distance. The white streak on top of the dune is meant to be chalky soil, but it looks almost like snow.
The painting has a unique light - it's not the cool Northern sky you'd expect over a Dutch scene, but rather a warm, golden glow borrowed from Italian artists who had visited Rome and brought back this style with them. Wouwerman managed to blend these two styles together to create something truly beautiful.
See it in person
A Stream in the Dunes, with Two Bathers 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.
