Landscape: A River among Mountains
- Artist: Pieter Bruegel the Elder
- Date: about 1600
- Medium: oil on wood
- Museum: The National Gallery
- Collection record: The National Gallery website
Listen to the free audio guide
About this artwork
This is the "Landscape: A River among Mountains" painted in the style of Pieter Bruegel the Elder. The painting appears to be a scene from everyday life, with a river flowing through the mountains and various figures engaged in different activities along its banks. Look closely at the left-hand side of the river and you'll see a raft of logs being floated downstream from the forests in the distant mountains. There are three men standing on the logs, guiding them downstream. On the further bank, three men ride horses towards what may be a lime quarry. You can also see figures working between the river and a double stone arch - some are carrying loads while others seem to be using sticks as hammers to break stones.
In the lower left corner, an artist sits sketching by a tree. But this is not actually a depiction of plein-air painting; rather it's derived from a print that was published after 1590. This print, which features figures of Mercury and Psyche, was itself based on a landscape painted by Pieter Bruegel in Rome around 1553. The artist of our painting appears to have used this print as a reference, but didn't quite capture the essence of Bruegel's style.
The painting is believed to have been created about 1600 and is oil on wood - specifically poplar panel. Given its materials and style, it's thought to have originated in Italy. The artist was likely an Italian working in this region during this time period, and was trying to create a landscape in the Netherlandish style. However, they didn't quite succeed in mastering Bruegel's conventions and technical skills - for example, the reflections in the water and the structure of the log raft don't make sense.
See it in person
Landscape: A River among Mountains 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.
