An Extensive Landscape with a Town
- Artist: Philips Koninck
- Date: about 1665-8
- Medium: oil on canvas
- Museum: The National Gallery
- Collection record: The National Gallery website
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About this artwork
An Extensive Landscape with a Town painted in the Dutch north by Philips Koninck. This painting shows us a vast, dark landscape under grey, lowering clouds. It's a bit strange and eerie, but that's what makes it so intriguing.
Notice how the road or path seems to lead your eye into the far distance. Koninck was known for his panoramic landscapes like this one. But in this particular piece, there's no sun to guide us along. A lone woman stands on the roadside, shielding her eyes as if she's looking for something. The path behind her turns sharply and gets lost in the trees - it seems impossible to continue.
Behind the woman, a flock of sheep and cows are hesitant too. They look back at the man and child walking behind them, who seem uncertain about their journey. It's unlikely that Koninck had a specific story in mind when he painted this. He's left it up to us to decide what's happening here.
This painting is oil on canvas, from around 1665-8, which was a significant time for Dutch landscape painters like Koninck. He often portrayed wide, pastoral landscapes that invited exploration, but not always. This one is different - it seems to defy even the most adventurous spirits to explore it further.
See it in person
An Extensive Landscape with a Town 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.
