Landscape with the Ruins of the Castle of Egmond
Jacob van Ruisdael
1650–1655
- Medium
- Oil on canvas
- Dimensions
- 98 × 130 cm (38 7/8 × 51 3/8 in.); Framed: 101 × 131.5 × 8.6 cm (39 3/4 × 51 3/4 × 3 3/8 in.)
- Genre
- oil on canvas
- Museum
- Art Institute of Chicago
Styles
Tags
paintingcountrysidepaintcanvasdutchoil on canvasoilriverswateroil paint (paint)painting (image making)17th Centurypainting techniquestowerscloudslandscapesoil paintingtreeseuropean paintingruinsfoliage
About
The deteriorating Castle of Egmond was a visible reminder of the Dutch struggle for independence: it was sacrificially destroyed during the revolt against Spain more than 80 years before Jacob van Ruisdael produced this painting. Landscape specialists like Van Ruisdael invoked Dutch patriotism by selecting sites representative of the republic, including ruins, windmills, and city views. Ruisdael distinguished himself by working on an unusually large scale and by imbuing his scenes with drama through low horizon lines and swollen clouds.
