Italianate Landscape with Drovers, Cattle and Sheep beside Ruins

Italianate Landscape with Drovers, Cattle and Sheep beside Ruins

Artist: Jan Asselijn

Medium: Oil on canvas

Date: Unknown

Artistic and Historical Context

Jan Asselijn's "Italianate Landscape with Drovers, Cattle and Sheep beside Ruins" exemplifies the 17th-century Dutch fascination with Italian landscapes, a genre that became popular among artists who traveled to Italy. Asselijn, known for his Italianate landscapes, often depicted pastoral scenes infused with classical ruins, reflecting the influence of his time spent in Rome. This painting captures the serene interaction between humans and nature, a common theme in Asselijn's work, which contributed to the broader appreciation of landscape painting in the Dutch Golden Age. The inclusion of ruins in the composition not only adds a historical dimension but also evokes a sense of nostalgia and the passage of time. Asselijn's ability to blend naturalistic detail with idealized landscapes had a lasting impact on his contemporaries and successors in the Dutch art scene.

Biographical Information

Jan Asselijn (circa 1610–1652) was a prominent Dutch painter, recognized for his contributions to the Italianate landscape genre. He was part of the Bentvueghels, a group of Dutch and Flemish artists working in Rome, where he acquired the nickname "Crabbetje" due to his deformed hand. Asselijn's works are noted for their atmospheric quality and skillful use of light, which he developed during his time in Italy and brought back to the Netherlands, influencing the landscape painting tradition there.

"Italianate Landscape with Drovers, Cattle and Sheep beside Ruins" by Jan Asselijn is an oil on canvas painting that exemplifies the Italianate style, characterized by its warm light and classical ruins. The artwork depicts pastoral scenes with drovers, cattle, and sheep, set against a backdrop of ancient architectural remnants, reflecting the artist's fascination with the Italian countryside.