Oil painting on oak panel, 'Rocky Landscape with Figures and Mountains', Dutch School, 19th century

Two small figures in the foreground, both with ?an arm raised pointing toward the right of the canvas. A background of, from left to right: mountains in the distance, then a clump of trees next to a boulder-like hillock, next to a tree on the far right of the canvas.

Bequeathed by John M. Parsons

Bequeathed by John M. Parsons, 1870

Dutch landscape art reached its height during the seventeenth century Dutch Golden Age, when pure landscape painting was pioneered by artists such as Jan van Goyen (1596–1656), Jacob van Ruisdael (1628–1682) and Aelbert Cyup (1620–1691). Dutch landscape painting declined in the eighteenth century in the nineteenth century, Dutch landscape painters turned to the artists of the Golden Age for inspiration.

This painting and its companion piece (561-1870) draw on the traditions of the romantic Italianate landscapes practiced by Golden Age artists such as Jan Both (d.1652) and Nicolaes Berchem (1620–1683). These were characterized by rocky, mountainous landscapes not commonly found in the Dutch region, scattered with ruins and suffused with golden light. Like many Dutch Golden Age landscapes, the compositions of both V&A Museum no. 560-1870 and 561-1870 are based around a low horizon, allowing for an emphasis on the dramatic cloud formations that are typical of the Dutch region.

Although painted in the first half of the nineteenth century and inspired by the landscapes of the Dutch Golden Age, the as yet unidentified painter of this work and its companion piece depicted the figures in eighteenth century dress. The reason for this is unclear.

Both this painting and V&A Museum no. 561-1870 are signed with the initials ‘J.S.K’, while these appear contemporary to the paintings, to date it has not been possible to identify the artist.

This painting and its likely companion piece, V&A Museum Number 561-1870, date from the early nineteenth century but like many Dutch landscapes of this period, they were inspired by the landscape paintings of the 17th century Dutch Golden Age. The as yet unidentified artist has drawn on romantic Italianate landscapes by artists such as Jan Both. Like this painting, these were characterised by rocky, mountainous landscapes coloured with golden light. Although painting in the 19th century and inspired by the landscapes of the 17th Golden Age, the artist has depicted the figures in 18th century fashions.

560-1870