An Extensive River Landscape
- Artist: Cornelis van der Schalcke
- Date: about 1659
- Medium: oil on canvas
- Museum: The National Gallery
- Collection record: The National Gallery website
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About this artwork
"This is An Extensive River Landscape by Cornelis van der Schalcke, painted in the Dutch tradition. Holland was captivated by its landscape, and artists like van der Schalcke sought to capture its vastness. This painting shows two men taking a rest from hunting with their dogs, while others sit on the bank below them. A coach is being led out of the forest by six horses, accompanied by riders and runners.
The eye is constantly drawn from the hill slopes in the foreground into the distance, where a break in the clouds provides soft, diffused light. The river isn't a barrier to our view; instead, it invites us to explore what lies beyond. One horizontal line after another crossing the picture makes us pause and look for details.
You can spot windmills on the horizon, and even a church tower or two. Boats with sails that match the color of the water are visible on the river, while the tiny outline of Antwerp Cathedral is thought to be in the distance - although it's unlikely that van der Schalcke actually saw it from Haarlem.
This painting likely shows the coastal sand dunes to the west of the town where van der Schalcke lived and worked. Its expansive view of the landscape is characteristic of Dutch art from this period, inviting us to explore its vastness."
See it in person
An Extensive River Landscape 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.
