River scene with a view of Dordrecht and a windmill: anglers, right

Aelbert Cuyp 1620 - 1691

Summary

Aelbert Cuyp lived his entire life in Dordrecht, the oldest city in Holland, whose strategic position near major inland waterways made it an important mercantile centre. Here Cuyp depicts the Rietdijkspoort, a water-gate, and a majestic windmill on the River Merwede at Dordrecht. Windmills, which played a crucial role in pumping water out of the low-lying land, became an iconic motif in Dutch landscape painting. The low viewpoint across the water's edge is one of Cuyp's typical motifs. He depicts a peaceful day, with boats at rest along the shore. There is surprisingly little human activity for such a busy city. Deft highlights on the bank and windmill capture the effects of natural light, while the sombre tonality shows the influence of Jan van Goyen. Cuyp's mature paintings are a blend of Dutch subject matter and Italianate style, with warmer, golden light and idealised figures. Although this represents the Rietdijkspoort, Cuyp has introduced an imaginary bank beyond and to the right of the buildings to balance the composition.

Display Label

River Scene with a View of Dordrecht and a Windmill early 1640s Aelbert Cuyp 1620-91 Oil on panel Aelbert Cuyp lived his entire life in Dordrecht, the oldest city in Holland. The city’s strategic position near major inland waterways made it an important mercantile centre. Here Cuyp depicts the Rietdijkspoort, a water-gate, and a majestic windmill on the River Merwede. The low viewpoint across the water’s edge is one of Cuyp’s typical motifs at this time. Painterly highlights on the bank and windmill capture the effects of natural light. Cuyp’s monochrome palette of the 1640s shows the influence of Jan van Goyen, whose work hangs alongside. Assheton Bennett bequest 1979.456