Jan van Goyen, A Scene On The Ice. 1627
A Scene On The Ice by Jan Josefsz. van Goyen (1627).
This beautiful winter scene is dated 1627 and is from the early period of the master. In that time, he was under the influence of Esaias van de Velde. There are countless drawings by Van Goyen, including sketch books. He probably based the paintings he produced in his studio on these observations from the countryside. Although the paintings appear to be painted on location in the countryside, they are nevertheless imagined scenes. Van Goyen's early landscapes are quite colourful and always contain wittily observed figures. A closer look reveals all kinds here: a kolf player raising his club to hit the ball or a little man skating towards us. The lonely wanderer by the bridge is a superb touch too. The small figures getting smaller and smaller subconsciously convince us that the painting has depth.
Jan van Goyen received drawing and painting lessons from the age of ten, studying with various Haarlem artists including Coenraet van Schilperoort, Isaack van Swanenburch and Jan de Man. In 1617, he spent a year studying with the painter Esaias van de Velde. Around 1629, his painting style changed, his cheerful use of colour made way for soberer tints. Nature took a central place. This new landscape style is known as the 'monochrome' or 'tonal' landscape.
Original Title: IJsvermaak
Oil on panel. 29,5 x 57 cm
Museum Boymans - van Beuningen, Rotterdam (lent by Stichting Willem van der Vorm, 1972)