Aert van der Neer, Winter Scene with Figures Playing Colf

English, Nederlands

English

Winter Scene with Figures Playing Colf, 1655 - 1660, by Aert van der Neer (1604 - 1677)

Aert van der Neer, a Dutch painter who worked primarily in Amsterdam, specialized in winter scenes and moonlit landscapes. Typical of his mature paintings, this composition is organized around a central body of water, which is bordered on the left by the thatched houses of a village and on the right by a community of cottages. The figures populating the scene endure the harsh weather conditions by participating in the pleasures of seasonal entertainment. Here, several skaters glide across the frozen river while two men enjoy a hearty game of colf played on the ice during the winter months. Despite the lively activity he depicts, the artist is mainly interested in conveying the winter season’s dramatic light and color effects. As such, the tinted light of the setting sun, as it is refracted by the clouds and moist atmosphere and reflects on the neutral landscape, provides the true subject of this enchanting painting.

Provenance

• Charles William Mills, 2nd Baron Hillingdon (1865-1919), by descent to;
• Arthur Robert Mills, 3rd Baron Hillingdon (1891-1952), Camelford House, Park Lane, Middlesex, by 1891, by descent to;
• Charles Hedworth Mills, 4th Baron Hillingdon (1922- ), (Christies, 7 July 1972, lot 18, to);
• [Edward Speelman, A.G., Zug, Switzerland, to];
• The Norton Simon Foundation.

Oil on canvas. 22-1/4 x 30-1/2 in. / 56.5 x 77.5 cm

Norton Simon Museum (F.1972.35.P), Pasadena, California, USA

Source: Do Smit

Nederlands

Ongedateerd winterlandschap met colf spelende figuren, 1655 - 1660, door Aert van der Neer (1604 -1677).

Olieverf op doek. 56,5 x 77,5 cm

Norton Simon Museum (F.1972.35.P), Pasadena, California, USA

Bron: Do Smit