A Woody Landscape with a Stag Hunt
- Artist: Jan de Lagoor
- Date: probably 1645-50
- Medium: oil on canvas
- Museum: The National Gallery
- Collection record: The National Gallery website
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About this artwork
This is "A Woody Landscape with a Stag Hunt" by Jan de Lagoor. Painted in the Netherlands during the mid-17th century, it's a great example of Dutch landscape art from this period. The light catching the terrified stag and hind running from the hounds seems silvery – almost like moonlight, in spite of the blue sky.
Notice how the two huntsmen following on horseback blow their horns in an identical position, making them seem stiff and puppet-like. Their groom follows them, hardly visible in the shadows of the forest. Jan de Lagoor was a close follower of Jacob van Ruisdael, but this painting doesn't reveal much of his influence.
The dark varnish and wear on the picture hide any indication of drama or atmosphere that's characteristic of Van Ruisdael's paintings. Still, it's an interesting example of how artists at the time explored the relationship between light, color, and composition in landscape art.
See it in person
A Woody Landscape with a Stag Hunt 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.
