JAN JOSEFSZ. VAN GOYEN (LEIDEN 1596-1656 THE HAGUE)

The beautifully painted sky, flashes of sunlight on the silvery water and mossy riverbank in the present painting all stand as testament to Van Goyen’s mastery of space, light and atmosphere. Executed in 1634, the landscape is constructed along the receding diagonal of the riverbank, a compositional device that lowered the horizon-line and allowed Van Goyen to fill the foreground with broad stretches of water. It is all unquestionably the case that he based his composition on sketches made during his travels around the countryside. The vigorously sketched under-drawing, visible in some parts of the composition, is closely akin in feel to his sketchbook drawings. The use of the monochromatic brown tones, heightened with swift touches of green and yellow is typical of this period. This colour palette went on to be further developed and pared back as his career progressed.