A Scene on the Ice - Revision history

Bradley.t.nixon: /* By Arthur K. Wheelock Jr. */

2025-09-06T00:50:34Z

By Arthur K. Wheelock Jr.

← Older revision		Revision as of 17:50, 5 September 2025
Line 1:		Line 1:
	====== By Arthur K. Wheelock Jr. ======		====== By Arthur K. Wheelock Jr. ======
	[[File:A_Scene_on_the_Ice.jpg\|alt=A Scene on the Ice\|~~640px~~\|link=https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/46/A_Scene_on_the_Ice.jpg/960px-A_Scene_on_the_Ice.jpg\|''Hendrick Avercamp, A Scene on the Ice, c. 1625'']]The smooth ice of a frozen river or canal was (and is) a source of great pleasure for the Dutch. The sense of freedom it provided created an almost holiday spirit for both young and old, rich and poor. For the upper class it was a time to enjoy the brisk winter air in beautifully crafted horse-drawn sleighs; for the young at heart it offered a chance to skate along holding hands with a loved one; for others it provided a chance to play kolf, to ice fish, or just to watch the array of humanity enjoying their shared experience. Frozen waterways also served as transportation arteries that enabled the movement of people and goods, so winter days spent on the frozen ice may not always have been as carefree as this description would imply; still, the pictorial and literary traditions from the seventeenth century certainly highlight the positive aspects.<ref>See Jan Six van Chandelier's Amsterdammers Winter, ed. Maria A. Schenkeveld-van der Dussen (Utrecht, 1988)</ref> Primary among those who created this idyllic image of Dutch winters was Hendrick Avercamp. In numerous landscapes such as this one he recorded the experiences of his compatriots as they skated, sleighed, talked, or just quietly observed the open expanse of smooth ice on a frozen waterway.		[[File:A_Scene_on_the_Ice.jpg\|alt=A Scene on the Ice\|thumb\|link=https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/46/A_Scene_on_the_Ice.jpg/960px-A_Scene_on_the_Ice.jpg\|''Hendrick Avercamp, A Scene on the Ice, c. 1625'']]The smooth ice of a frozen river or canal was (and is) a source of great pleasure for the Dutch. The sense of freedom it provided created an almost holiday spirit for both young and old, rich and poor. For the upper class it was a time to enjoy the brisk winter air in beautifully crafted horse-drawn sleighs; for the young at heart it offered a chance to skate along holding hands with a loved one; for others it provided a chance to play kolf, to ice fish, or just to watch the array of humanity enjoying their shared experience. Frozen waterways also served as transportation arteries that enabled the movement of people and goods, so winter days spent on the frozen ice may not always have been as carefree as this description would imply; still, the pictorial and literary traditions from the seventeenth century certainly highlight the positive aspects.<ref>See Jan Six van Chandelier's Amsterdammers Winter, ed. Maria A. Schenkeveld-van der Dussen (Utrecht, 1988)</ref> Primary among those who created this idyllic image of Dutch winters was Hendrick Avercamp. In numerous landscapes such as this one he recorded the experiences of his compatriots as they skated, sleighed, talked, or just quietly observed the open expanse of smooth ice on a frozen waterway.

	Avercamp, who lived in Kampen, far removed from the artistic centers of Haarlem and Amsterdam, worked his entire career in a style that derived from sixteenth century prototypes, where landscape vistas were viewed from above to allow for a panoramic overview of the scene below. The specific type of winter scene favored by Avercamp follows a rich tradition that goes back to Bruegel the Elder, Pieter, such as the latter’s ''Winter Landscape with Bird-Trap'', 1565 (Koninklijk Museum voor Schone Kunsten, Brussels), a composition whose popularity can be measured by the frequent copies made by the Flemish master’s son, Brueghel the Younger, Pieter. Similar scenes appeared in prints and drawings by other artists, including Bol, Hans<ref>[[File:Hans Bol, Winter Landscape with Skaters, c. 1584-1586, NGA 72073.jpg\|thumb\|Hans Bol, Winter Landscape with Skaters, c. 1584-1586, NGA 72073]]</ref> and Vinckboons, David. A number of ice scenes, including compositions by Bol and Vinckboons, were conceived as parts of series representing the four seasons of the year.<ref>See, in particular, Hessel Gerritsz's engraving after Vinckboons, Heyms., illustrated in Albert Blankert et al., Hendrick Avercamp, 1585-1634; Barent Avercamp, 1612-1679: Frozen Silence - Paintings from Museums and Private Collections (Amsterdam, 1982), 150-151, cat.33</ref> Other depictions of skaters appear in emblematic prints, where the difficulty of staying upright was associated with the slipperiness of human life.<ref>A print by Johannes Galle after Pieter Bruegel the Elder of an ice scene, dated 1553, is entitled "De slibberachtigheyt van's menschen leven." For a discussion of emblematic literature of ice scenes, see Evert van Straaten, Koud tot op het Bot (The Hague, 1977), 43-48. See also the colored drawings of ice scenes by Adriaen van de Venne in Martin Royalton-Kisch, Adriaen van de Venne's Album (London, 1988) 326, 336-342.</ref>		Avercamp, who lived in Kampen, far removed from the artistic centers of Haarlem and Amsterdam, worked his entire career in a style that derived from sixteenth century prototypes, where landscape vistas were viewed from above to allow for a panoramic overview of the scene below. The specific type of winter scene favored by Avercamp follows a rich tradition that goes back to Bruegel the Elder, Pieter, such as the latter’s ''Winter Landscape with Bird-Trap'', 1565 (Koninklijk Museum voor Schone Kunsten, Brussels), a composition whose popularity can be measured by the frequent copies made by the Flemish master’s son, Brueghel the Younger, Pieter. Similar scenes appeared in prints and drawings by other artists, including Bol, Hans<ref>[[File:Hans Bol, Winter Landscape with Skaters, c. 1584-1586, NGA 72073.jpg\|thumb\|Hans Bol, Winter Landscape with Skaters, c. 1584-1586, NGA 72073]]</ref> and Vinckboons, David. A number of ice scenes, including compositions by Bol and Vinckboons, were conceived as parts of series representing the four seasons of the year.<ref>See, in particular, Hessel Gerritsz's engraving after Vinckboons, Heyms., illustrated in Albert Blankert et al., Hendrick Avercamp, 1585-1634; Barent Avercamp, 1612-1679: Frozen Silence - Paintings from Museums and Private Collections (Amsterdam, 1982), 150-151, cat.33</ref> Other depictions of skaters appear in emblematic prints, where the difficulty of staying upright was associated with the slipperiness of human life.<ref>A print by Johannes Galle after Pieter Bruegel the Elder of an ice scene, dated 1553, is entitled "De slibberachtigheyt van's menschen leven." For a discussion of emblematic literature of ice scenes, see Evert van Straaten, Koud tot op het Bot (The Hague, 1977), 43-48. See also the colored drawings of ice scenes by Adriaen van de Venne in Martin Royalton-Kisch, Adriaen van de Venne's Album (London, 1988) 326, 336-342.</ref>

Bradley.t.nixon: /* By Arthur K. Wheelock Jr. */

2025-09-06T00:50:07Z

By Arthur K. Wheelock Jr.

← Older revision		Revision as of 17:50, 5 September 2025
Line 1:		Line 1:
	====== By Arthur K. Wheelock Jr. ======		====== By Arthur K. Wheelock Jr. ======
	[[File:A_Scene_on_the_Ice.jpg\|alt=A Scene on the Ice~~\|frame~~\|640px\|link=https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/46/A_Scene_on_the_Ice.jpg/960px-A_Scene_on_the_Ice.jpg\|''Hendrick Avercamp, A Scene on the Ice, c. 1625'']]The smooth ice of a frozen river or canal was (and is) a source of great pleasure for the Dutch. The sense of freedom it provided created an almost holiday spirit for both young and old, rich and poor. For the upper class it was a time to enjoy the brisk winter air in beautifully crafted horse-drawn sleighs; for the young at heart it offered a chance to skate along holding hands with a loved one; for others it provided a chance to play kolf, to ice fish, or just to watch the array of humanity enjoying their shared experience. Frozen waterways also served as transportation arteries that enabled the movement of people and goods, so winter days spent on the frozen ice may not always have been as carefree as this description would imply; still, the pictorial and literary traditions from the seventeenth century certainly highlight the positive aspects.<ref>See Jan Six van Chandelier's Amsterdammers Winter, ed. Maria A. Schenkeveld-van der Dussen (Utrecht, 1988)</ref> Primary among those who created this idyllic image of Dutch winters was Hendrick Avercamp. In numerous landscapes such as this one he recorded the experiences of his compatriots as they skated, sleighed, talked, or just quietly observed the open expanse of smooth ice on a frozen waterway.		[[File:A_Scene_on_the_Ice.jpg\|alt=A Scene on the Ice\|640px\|link=https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/46/A_Scene_on_the_Ice.jpg/960px-A_Scene_on_the_Ice.jpg\|''Hendrick Avercamp, A Scene on the Ice, c. 1625'']]The smooth ice of a frozen river or canal was (and is) a source of great pleasure for the Dutch. The sense of freedom it provided created an almost holiday spirit for both young and old, rich and poor. For the upper class it was a time to enjoy the brisk winter air in beautifully crafted horse-drawn sleighs; for the young at heart it offered a chance to skate along holding hands with a loved one; for others it provided a chance to play kolf, to ice fish, or just to watch the array of humanity enjoying their shared experience. Frozen waterways also served as transportation arteries that enabled the movement of people and goods, so winter days spent on the frozen ice may not always have been as carefree as this description would imply; still, the pictorial and literary traditions from the seventeenth century certainly highlight the positive aspects.<ref>See Jan Six van Chandelier's Amsterdammers Winter, ed. Maria A. Schenkeveld-van der Dussen (Utrecht, 1988)</ref> Primary among those who created this idyllic image of Dutch winters was Hendrick Avercamp. In numerous landscapes such as this one he recorded the experiences of his compatriots as they skated, sleighed, talked, or just quietly observed the open expanse of smooth ice on a frozen waterway.

	Avercamp, who lived in Kampen, far removed from the artistic centers of Haarlem and Amsterdam, worked his entire career in a style that derived from sixteenth century prototypes, where landscape vistas were viewed from above to allow for a panoramic overview of the scene below. The specific type of winter scene favored by Avercamp follows a rich tradition that goes back to Bruegel the Elder, Pieter, such as the latter’s ''Winter Landscape with Bird-Trap'', 1565 (Koninklijk Museum voor Schone Kunsten, Brussels), a composition whose popularity can be measured by the frequent copies made by the Flemish master’s son, Brueghel the Younger, Pieter. Similar scenes appeared in prints and drawings by other artists, including Bol, Hans<ref>[[File:Hans Bol, Winter Landscape with Skaters, c. 1584-1586, NGA 72073.jpg\|thumb\|Hans Bol, Winter Landscape with Skaters, c. 1584-1586, NGA 72073]]</ref> and Vinckboons, David. A number of ice scenes, including compositions by Bol and Vinckboons, were conceived as parts of series representing the four seasons of the year.<ref>See, in particular, Hessel Gerritsz's engraving after Vinckboons, Heyms., illustrated in Albert Blankert et al., Hendrick Avercamp, 1585-1634; Barent Avercamp, 1612-1679: Frozen Silence - Paintings from Museums and Private Collections (Amsterdam, 1982), 150-151, cat.33</ref> Other depictions of skaters appear in emblematic prints, where the difficulty of staying upright was associated with the slipperiness of human life.<ref>A print by Johannes Galle after Pieter Bruegel the Elder of an ice scene, dated 1553, is entitled "De slibberachtigheyt van's menschen leven." For a discussion of emblematic literature of ice scenes, see Evert van Straaten, Koud tot op het Bot (The Hague, 1977), 43-48. See also the colored drawings of ice scenes by Adriaen van de Venne in Martin Royalton-Kisch, Adriaen van de Venne's Album (London, 1988) 326, 336-342.</ref>		Avercamp, who lived in Kampen, far removed from the artistic centers of Haarlem and Amsterdam, worked his entire career in a style that derived from sixteenth century prototypes, where landscape vistas were viewed from above to allow for a panoramic overview of the scene below. The specific type of winter scene favored by Avercamp follows a rich tradition that goes back to Bruegel the Elder, Pieter, such as the latter’s ''Winter Landscape with Bird-Trap'', 1565 (Koninklijk Museum voor Schone Kunsten, Brussels), a composition whose popularity can be measured by the frequent copies made by the Flemish master’s son, Brueghel the Younger, Pieter. Similar scenes appeared in prints and drawings by other artists, including Bol, Hans<ref>[[File:Hans Bol, Winter Landscape with Skaters, c. 1584-1586, NGA 72073.jpg\|thumb\|Hans Bol, Winter Landscape with Skaters, c. 1584-1586, NGA 72073]]</ref> and Vinckboons, David. A number of ice scenes, including compositions by Bol and Vinckboons, were conceived as parts of series representing the four seasons of the year.<ref>See, in particular, Hessel Gerritsz's engraving after Vinckboons, Heyms., illustrated in Albert Blankert et al., Hendrick Avercamp, 1585-1634; Barent Avercamp, 1612-1679: Frozen Silence - Paintings from Museums and Private Collections (Amsterdam, 1982), 150-151, cat.33</ref> Other depictions of skaters appear in emblematic prints, where the difficulty of staying upright was associated with the slipperiness of human life.<ref>A print by Johannes Galle after Pieter Bruegel the Elder of an ice scene, dated 1553, is entitled "De slibberachtigheyt van's menschen leven." For a discussion of emblematic literature of ice scenes, see Evert van Straaten, Koud tot op het Bot (The Hague, 1977), 43-48. See also the colored drawings of ice scenes by Adriaen van de Venne in Martin Royalton-Kisch, Adriaen van de Venne's Album (London, 1988) 326, 336-342.</ref>

Bradley.t.nixon: /* By Arthur K. Wheelock Jr. */

2025-09-06T00:49:30Z

By Arthur K. Wheelock Jr.

← Older revision		Revision as of 17:49, 5 September 2025
Line 1:		Line 1:
	====== By Arthur K. Wheelock Jr. ======		====== By Arthur K. Wheelock Jr. ======
	[[File:A_Scene_on_the_Ice.jpg\|alt=A Scene on the Ice\|frame\|640px\|''Hendrick Avercamp, A Scene on the Ice, c. 1625'']]The smooth ice of a frozen river or canal was (and is) a source of great pleasure for the Dutch. The sense of freedom it provided created an almost holiday spirit for both young and old, rich and poor. For the upper class it was a time to enjoy the brisk winter air in beautifully crafted horse-drawn sleighs; for the young at heart it offered a chance to skate along holding hands with a loved one; for others it provided a chance to play kolf, to ice fish, or just to watch the array of humanity enjoying their shared experience. Frozen waterways also served as transportation arteries that enabled the movement of people and goods, so winter days spent on the frozen ice may not always have been as carefree as this description would imply; still, the pictorial and literary traditions from the seventeenth century certainly highlight the positive aspects.<ref>See Jan Six van Chandelier's Amsterdammers Winter, ed. Maria A. Schenkeveld-van der Dussen (Utrecht, 1988)</ref> Primary among those who created this idyllic image of Dutch winters was Hendrick Avercamp. In numerous landscapes such as this one he recorded the experiences of his compatriots as they skated, sleighed, talked, or just quietly observed the open expanse of smooth ice on a frozen waterway.		[[File:A_Scene_on_the_Ice.jpg\|alt=A Scene on the Ice\|frame\|640px\|link=https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/46/A_Scene_on_the_Ice.jpg/960px-A_Scene_on_the_Ice.jpg\|''Hendrick Avercamp, A Scene on the Ice, c. 1625'']]The smooth ice of a frozen river or canal was (and is) a source of great pleasure for the Dutch. The sense of freedom it provided created an almost holiday spirit for both young and old, rich and poor. For the upper class it was a time to enjoy the brisk winter air in beautifully crafted horse-drawn sleighs; for the young at heart it offered a chance to skate along holding hands with a loved one; for others it provided a chance to play kolf, to ice fish, or just to watch the array of humanity enjoying their shared experience. Frozen waterways also served as transportation arteries that enabled the movement of people and goods, so winter days spent on the frozen ice may not always have been as carefree as this description would imply; still, the pictorial and literary traditions from the seventeenth century certainly highlight the positive aspects.<ref>See Jan Six van Chandelier's Amsterdammers Winter, ed. Maria A. Schenkeveld-van der Dussen (Utrecht, 1988)</ref> Primary among those who created this idyllic image of Dutch winters was Hendrick Avercamp. In numerous landscapes such as this one he recorded the experiences of his compatriots as they skated, sleighed, talked, or just quietly observed the open expanse of smooth ice on a frozen waterway.

	Avercamp, who lived in Kampen, far removed from the artistic centers of Haarlem and Amsterdam, worked his entire career in a style that derived from sixteenth century prototypes, where landscape vistas were viewed from above to allow for a panoramic overview of the scene below. The specific type of winter scene favored by Avercamp follows a rich tradition that goes back to Bruegel the Elder, Pieter, such as the latter’s ''Winter Landscape with Bird-Trap'', 1565 (Koninklijk Museum voor Schone Kunsten, Brussels), a composition whose popularity can be measured by the frequent copies made by the Flemish master’s son, Brueghel the Younger, Pieter. Similar scenes appeared in prints and drawings by other artists, including Bol, Hans<ref>[[File:Hans Bol, Winter Landscape with Skaters, c. 1584-1586, NGA 72073.jpg\|thumb\|Hans Bol, Winter Landscape with Skaters, c. 1584-1586, NGA 72073]]</ref> and Vinckboons, David. A number of ice scenes, including compositions by Bol and Vinckboons, were conceived as parts of series representing the four seasons of the year.<ref>See, in particular, Hessel Gerritsz's engraving after Vinckboons, Heyms., illustrated in Albert Blankert et al., Hendrick Avercamp, 1585-1634; Barent Avercamp, 1612-1679: Frozen Silence - Paintings from Museums and Private Collections (Amsterdam, 1982), 150-151, cat.33</ref> Other depictions of skaters appear in emblematic prints, where the difficulty of staying upright was associated with the slipperiness of human life.<ref>A print by Johannes Galle after Pieter Bruegel the Elder of an ice scene, dated 1553, is entitled "De slibberachtigheyt van's menschen leven." For a discussion of emblematic literature of ice scenes, see Evert van Straaten, Koud tot op het Bot (The Hague, 1977), 43-48. See also the colored drawings of ice scenes by Adriaen van de Venne in Martin Royalton-Kisch, Adriaen van de Venne's Album (London, 1988) 326, 336-342.</ref>		Avercamp, who lived in Kampen, far removed from the artistic centers of Haarlem and Amsterdam, worked his entire career in a style that derived from sixteenth century prototypes, where landscape vistas were viewed from above to allow for a panoramic overview of the scene below. The specific type of winter scene favored by Avercamp follows a rich tradition that goes back to Bruegel the Elder, Pieter, such as the latter’s ''Winter Landscape with Bird-Trap'', 1565 (Koninklijk Museum voor Schone Kunsten, Brussels), a composition whose popularity can be measured by the frequent copies made by the Flemish master’s son, Brueghel the Younger, Pieter. Similar scenes appeared in prints and drawings by other artists, including Bol, Hans<ref>[[File:Hans Bol, Winter Landscape with Skaters, c. 1584-1586, NGA 72073.jpg\|thumb\|Hans Bol, Winter Landscape with Skaters, c. 1584-1586, NGA 72073]]</ref> and Vinckboons, David. A number of ice scenes, including compositions by Bol and Vinckboons, were conceived as parts of series representing the four seasons of the year.<ref>See, in particular, Hessel Gerritsz's engraving after Vinckboons, Heyms., illustrated in Albert Blankert et al., Hendrick Avercamp, 1585-1634; Barent Avercamp, 1612-1679: Frozen Silence - Paintings from Museums and Private Collections (Amsterdam, 1982), 150-151, cat.33</ref> Other depictions of skaters appear in emblematic prints, where the difficulty of staying upright was associated with the slipperiness of human life.<ref>A print by Johannes Galle after Pieter Bruegel the Elder of an ice scene, dated 1553, is entitled "De slibberachtigheyt van's menschen leven." For a discussion of emblematic literature of ice scenes, see Evert van Straaten, Koud tot op het Bot (The Hague, 1977), 43-48. See also the colored drawings of ice scenes by Adriaen van de Venne in Martin Royalton-Kisch, Adriaen van de Venne's Album (London, 1988) 326, 336-342.</ref>

Bradley.t.nixon at 00:44, 6 September 2025

2025-09-06T00:44:24Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 17:44, 5 September 2025
Line 1:		Line 1:
	====== By Arthur K. Wheelock Jr. ======		====== By Arthur K. Wheelock Jr. ======
	[[File:A_Scene_on_the_Ice.jpg\|alt=A Scene on the Ice~~\|thumb~~\|frame\|640px\|''Hendrick Avercamp, A Scene on the Ice, c. 1625'']]The smooth ice of a frozen river or canal was (and is) a source of great pleasure for the Dutch. The sense of freedom it provided created an almost holiday spirit for both young and old, rich and poor. For the upper class it was a time to enjoy the brisk winter air in beautifully crafted horse-drawn sleighs; for the young at heart it offered a chance to skate along holding hands with a loved one; for others it provided a chance to play kolf, to ice fish, or just to watch the array of humanity enjoying their shared experience. Frozen waterways also served as transportation arteries that enabled the movement of people and goods, so winter days spent on the frozen ice may not always have been as carefree as this description would imply; still, the pictorial and literary traditions from the seventeenth century certainly highlight the positive aspects.<ref>See Jan Six van Chandelier's Amsterdammers Winter, ed. Maria A. Schenkeveld-van der Dussen (Utrecht, 1988)</ref> Primary among those who created this idyllic image of Dutch winters was Hendrick Avercamp. In numerous landscapes such as this one he recorded the experiences of his compatriots as they skated, sleighed, talked, or just quietly observed the open expanse of smooth ice on a frozen waterway.		[[File:A_Scene_on_the_Ice.jpg\|alt=A Scene on the Ice\|frame\|640px\|''Hendrick Avercamp, A Scene on the Ice, c. 1625'']]The smooth ice of a frozen river or canal was (and is) a source of great pleasure for the Dutch. The sense of freedom it provided created an almost holiday spirit for both young and old, rich and poor. For the upper class it was a time to enjoy the brisk winter air in beautifully crafted horse-drawn sleighs; for the young at heart it offered a chance to skate along holding hands with a loved one; for others it provided a chance to play kolf, to ice fish, or just to watch the array of humanity enjoying their shared experience. Frozen waterways also served as transportation arteries that enabled the movement of people and goods, so winter days spent on the frozen ice may not always have been as carefree as this description would imply; still, the pictorial and literary traditions from the seventeenth century certainly highlight the positive aspects.<ref>See Jan Six van Chandelier's Amsterdammers Winter, ed. Maria A. Schenkeveld-van der Dussen (Utrecht, 1988)</ref> Primary among those who created this idyllic image of Dutch winters was Hendrick Avercamp. In numerous landscapes such as this one he recorded the experiences of his compatriots as they skated, sleighed, talked, or just quietly observed the open expanse of smooth ice on a frozen waterway.

	Avercamp, who lived in Kampen, far removed from the artistic centers of Haarlem and Amsterdam, worked his entire career in a style that derived from sixteenth century prototypes, where landscape vistas were viewed from above to allow for a panoramic overview of the scene below. The specific type of winter scene favored by Avercamp follows a rich tradition that goes back to Bruegel the Elder, Pieter, such as the latter’s ''Winter Landscape with Bird-Trap'', 1565 (Koninklijk Museum voor Schone Kunsten, Brussels), a composition whose popularity can be measured by the frequent copies made by the Flemish master’s son, Brueghel the Younger, Pieter. Similar scenes appeared in prints and drawings by other artists, including Bol, Hans<ref>[[File:Hans Bol, Winter Landscape with Skaters, c. 1584-1586, NGA 72073.jpg\|thumb\|Hans Bol, Winter Landscape with Skaters, c. 1584-1586, NGA 72073]]</ref> and Vinckboons, David. A number of ice scenes, including compositions by Bol and Vinckboons, were conceived as parts of series representing the four seasons of the year.<ref>See, in particular, Hessel Gerritsz's engraving after Vinckboons, Heyms., illustrated in Albert Blankert et al., Hendrick Avercamp, 1585-1634; Barent Avercamp, 1612-1679: Frozen Silence - Paintings from Museums and Private Collections (Amsterdam, 1982), 150-151, cat.33</ref> Other depictions of skaters appear in emblematic prints, where the difficulty of staying upright was associated with the slipperiness of human life.<ref>A print by Johannes Galle after Pieter Bruegel the Elder of an ice scene, dated 1553, is entitled "De slibberachtigheyt van's menschen leven." For a discussion of emblematic literature of ice scenes, see Evert van Straaten, Koud tot op het Bot (The Hague, 1977), 43-48. See also the colored drawings of ice scenes by Adriaen van de Venne in Martin Royalton-Kisch, Adriaen van de Venne's Album (London, 1988) 326, 336-342.</ref>		Avercamp, who lived in Kampen, far removed from the artistic centers of Haarlem and Amsterdam, worked his entire career in a style that derived from sixteenth century prototypes, where landscape vistas were viewed from above to allow for a panoramic overview of the scene below. The specific type of winter scene favored by Avercamp follows a rich tradition that goes back to Bruegel the Elder, Pieter, such as the latter’s ''Winter Landscape with Bird-Trap'', 1565 (Koninklijk Museum voor Schone Kunsten, Brussels), a composition whose popularity can be measured by the frequent copies made by the Flemish master’s son, Brueghel the Younger, Pieter. Similar scenes appeared in prints and drawings by other artists, including Bol, Hans<ref>[[File:Hans Bol, Winter Landscape with Skaters, c. 1584-1586, NGA 72073.jpg\|thumb\|Hans Bol, Winter Landscape with Skaters, c. 1584-1586, NGA 72073]]</ref> and Vinckboons, David. A number of ice scenes, including compositions by Bol and Vinckboons, were conceived as parts of series representing the four seasons of the year.<ref>See, in particular, Hessel Gerritsz's engraving after Vinckboons, Heyms., illustrated in Albert Blankert et al., Hendrick Avercamp, 1585-1634; Barent Avercamp, 1612-1679: Frozen Silence - Paintings from Museums and Private Collections (Amsterdam, 1982), 150-151, cat.33</ref> Other depictions of skaters appear in emblematic prints, where the difficulty of staying upright was associated with the slipperiness of human life.<ref>A print by Johannes Galle after Pieter Bruegel the Elder of an ice scene, dated 1553, is entitled "De slibberachtigheyt van's menschen leven." For a discussion of emblematic literature of ice scenes, see Evert van Straaten, Koud tot op het Bot (The Hague, 1977), 43-48. See also the colored drawings of ice scenes by Adriaen van de Venne in Martin Royalton-Kisch, Adriaen van de Venne's Album (London, 1988) 326, 336-342.</ref>

Bradley.t.nixon: /* By Arthur K. Wheelock Jr. */

2025-09-06T00:43:53Z

By Arthur K. Wheelock Jr.

← Older revision		Revision as of 17:43, 5 September 2025
Line 1:		Line 1:
	====== By Arthur K. Wheelock Jr. ======		====== By Arthur K. Wheelock Jr. ======
	[[File:A_Scene_on_the_Ice.jpg\|alt=A Scene on the Ice\|thumb\|640px\|''Hendrick Avercamp, A Scene on the Ice, c. 1625'']]The smooth ice of a frozen river or canal was (and is) a source of great pleasure for the Dutch. The sense of freedom it provided created an almost holiday spirit for both young and old, rich and poor. For the upper class it was a time to enjoy the brisk winter air in beautifully crafted horse-drawn sleighs; for the young at heart it offered a chance to skate along holding hands with a loved one; for others it provided a chance to play kolf, to ice fish, or just to watch the array of humanity enjoying their shared experience. Frozen waterways also served as transportation arteries that enabled the movement of people and goods, so winter days spent on the frozen ice may not always have been as carefree as this description would imply; still, the pictorial and literary traditions from the seventeenth century certainly highlight the positive aspects.<ref>See Jan Six van Chandelier's Amsterdammers Winter, ed. Maria A. Schenkeveld-van der Dussen (Utrecht, 1988)</ref> Primary among those who created this idyllic image of Dutch winters was Hendrick Avercamp. In numerous landscapes such as this one he recorded the experiences of his compatriots as they skated, sleighed, talked, or just quietly observed the open expanse of smooth ice on a frozen waterway.		[[File:A_Scene_on_the_Ice.jpg\|alt=A Scene on the Ice\|thumb\|frame\|640px\|''Hendrick Avercamp, A Scene on the Ice, c. 1625'']]The smooth ice of a frozen river or canal was (and is) a source of great pleasure for the Dutch. The sense of freedom it provided created an almost holiday spirit for both young and old, rich and poor. For the upper class it was a time to enjoy the brisk winter air in beautifully crafted horse-drawn sleighs; for the young at heart it offered a chance to skate along holding hands with a loved one; for others it provided a chance to play kolf, to ice fish, or just to watch the array of humanity enjoying their shared experience. Frozen waterways also served as transportation arteries that enabled the movement of people and goods, so winter days spent on the frozen ice may not always have been as carefree as this description would imply; still, the pictorial and literary traditions from the seventeenth century certainly highlight the positive aspects.<ref>See Jan Six van Chandelier's Amsterdammers Winter, ed. Maria A. Schenkeveld-van der Dussen (Utrecht, 1988)</ref> Primary among those who created this idyllic image of Dutch winters was Hendrick Avercamp. In numerous landscapes such as this one he recorded the experiences of his compatriots as they skated, sleighed, talked, or just quietly observed the open expanse of smooth ice on a frozen waterway.

	Avercamp, who lived in Kampen, far removed from the artistic centers of Haarlem and Amsterdam, worked his entire career in a style that derived from sixteenth century prototypes, where landscape vistas were viewed from above to allow for a panoramic overview of the scene below. The specific type of winter scene favored by Avercamp follows a rich tradition that goes back to Bruegel the Elder, Pieter, such as the latter’s ''Winter Landscape with Bird-Trap'', 1565 (Koninklijk Museum voor Schone Kunsten, Brussels), a composition whose popularity can be measured by the frequent copies made by the Flemish master’s son, Brueghel the Younger, Pieter. Similar scenes appeared in prints and drawings by other artists, including Bol, Hans<ref>[[File:Hans Bol, Winter Landscape with Skaters, c. 1584-1586, NGA 72073.jpg\|thumb\|Hans Bol, Winter Landscape with Skaters, c. 1584-1586, NGA 72073]]</ref> and Vinckboons, David. A number of ice scenes, including compositions by Bol and Vinckboons, were conceived as parts of series representing the four seasons of the year.<ref>See, in particular, Hessel Gerritsz's engraving after Vinckboons, Heyms., illustrated in Albert Blankert et al., Hendrick Avercamp, 1585-1634; Barent Avercamp, 1612-1679: Frozen Silence - Paintings from Museums and Private Collections (Amsterdam, 1982), 150-151, cat.33</ref> Other depictions of skaters appear in emblematic prints, where the difficulty of staying upright was associated with the slipperiness of human life.<ref>A print by Johannes Galle after Pieter Bruegel the Elder of an ice scene, dated 1553, is entitled "De slibberachtigheyt van's menschen leven." For a discussion of emblematic literature of ice scenes, see Evert van Straaten, Koud tot op het Bot (The Hague, 1977), 43-48. See also the colored drawings of ice scenes by Adriaen van de Venne in Martin Royalton-Kisch, Adriaen van de Venne's Album (London, 1988) 326, 336-342.</ref>		Avercamp, who lived in Kampen, far removed from the artistic centers of Haarlem and Amsterdam, worked his entire career in a style that derived from sixteenth century prototypes, where landscape vistas were viewed from above to allow for a panoramic overview of the scene below. The specific type of winter scene favored by Avercamp follows a rich tradition that goes back to Bruegel the Elder, Pieter, such as the latter’s ''Winter Landscape with Bird-Trap'', 1565 (Koninklijk Museum voor Schone Kunsten, Brussels), a composition whose popularity can be measured by the frequent copies made by the Flemish master’s son, Brueghel the Younger, Pieter. Similar scenes appeared in prints and drawings by other artists, including Bol, Hans<ref>[[File:Hans Bol, Winter Landscape with Skaters, c. 1584-1586, NGA 72073.jpg\|thumb\|Hans Bol, Winter Landscape with Skaters, c. 1584-1586, NGA 72073]]</ref> and Vinckboons, David. A number of ice scenes, including compositions by Bol and Vinckboons, were conceived as parts of series representing the four seasons of the year.<ref>See, in particular, Hessel Gerritsz's engraving after Vinckboons, Heyms., illustrated in Albert Blankert et al., Hendrick Avercamp, 1585-1634; Barent Avercamp, 1612-1679: Frozen Silence - Paintings from Museums and Private Collections (Amsterdam, 1982), 150-151, cat.33</ref> Other depictions of skaters appear in emblematic prints, where the difficulty of staying upright was associated with the slipperiness of human life.<ref>A print by Johannes Galle after Pieter Bruegel the Elder of an ice scene, dated 1553, is entitled "De slibberachtigheyt van's menschen leven." For a discussion of emblematic literature of ice scenes, see Evert van Straaten, Koud tot op het Bot (The Hague, 1977), 43-48. See also the colored drawings of ice scenes by Adriaen van de Venne in Martin Royalton-Kisch, Adriaen van de Venne's Album (London, 1988) 326, 336-342.</ref>

Bradley.t.nixon: /* By Arthur K. Wheelock Jr. */

2025-09-06T00:25:54Z

By Arthur K. Wheelock Jr.

← Older revision		Revision as of 17:25, 5 September 2025
Line 1:		Line 1:
	====== By Arthur K. Wheelock Jr. ======		====== By Arthur K. Wheelock Jr. ======
	[[File:A_Scene_on_the_Ice.jpg\|alt=A Scene on the Ice\|thumb\|~~100%~~\|''Hendrick Avercamp, A Scene on the Ice, c. 1625'']]The smooth ice of a frozen river or canal was (and is) a source of great pleasure for the Dutch. The sense of freedom it provided created an almost holiday spirit for both young and old, rich and poor. For the upper class it was a time to enjoy the brisk winter air in beautifully crafted horse-drawn sleighs; for the young at heart it offered a chance to skate along holding hands with a loved one; for others it provided a chance to play kolf, to ice fish, or just to watch the array of humanity enjoying their shared experience. Frozen waterways also served as transportation arteries that enabled the movement of people and goods, so winter days spent on the frozen ice may not always have been as carefree as this description would imply; still, the pictorial and literary traditions from the seventeenth century certainly highlight the positive aspects.<ref>See Jan Six van Chandelier's Amsterdammers Winter, ed. Maria A. Schenkeveld-van der Dussen (Utrecht, 1988)</ref> Primary among those who created this idyllic image of Dutch winters was Hendrick Avercamp. In numerous landscapes such as this one he recorded the experiences of his compatriots as they skated, sleighed, talked, or just quietly observed the open expanse of smooth ice on a frozen waterway.		[[File:A_Scene_on_the_Ice.jpg\|alt=A Scene on the Ice\|thumb\|640px\|''Hendrick Avercamp, A Scene on the Ice, c. 1625'']]The smooth ice of a frozen river or canal was (and is) a source of great pleasure for the Dutch. The sense of freedom it provided created an almost holiday spirit for both young and old, rich and poor. For the upper class it was a time to enjoy the brisk winter air in beautifully crafted horse-drawn sleighs; for the young at heart it offered a chance to skate along holding hands with a loved one; for others it provided a chance to play kolf, to ice fish, or just to watch the array of humanity enjoying their shared experience. Frozen waterways also served as transportation arteries that enabled the movement of people and goods, so winter days spent on the frozen ice may not always have been as carefree as this description would imply; still, the pictorial and literary traditions from the seventeenth century certainly highlight the positive aspects.<ref>See Jan Six van Chandelier's Amsterdammers Winter, ed. Maria A. Schenkeveld-van der Dussen (Utrecht, 1988)</ref> Primary among those who created this idyllic image of Dutch winters was Hendrick Avercamp. In numerous landscapes such as this one he recorded the experiences of his compatriots as they skated, sleighed, talked, or just quietly observed the open expanse of smooth ice on a frozen waterway.

	Avercamp, who lived in Kampen, far removed from the artistic centers of Haarlem and Amsterdam, worked his entire career in a style that derived from sixteenth century prototypes, where landscape vistas were viewed from above to allow for a panoramic overview of the scene below. The specific type of winter scene favored by Avercamp follows a rich tradition that goes back to Bruegel the Elder, Pieter, such as the latter’s ''Winter Landscape with Bird-Trap'', 1565 (Koninklijk Museum voor Schone Kunsten, Brussels), a composition whose popularity can be measured by the frequent copies made by the Flemish master’s son, Brueghel the Younger, Pieter. Similar scenes appeared in prints and drawings by other artists, including Bol, Hans<ref>[[File:Hans Bol, Winter Landscape with Skaters, c. 1584-1586, NGA 72073.jpg\|thumb\|Hans Bol, Winter Landscape with Skaters, c. 1584-1586, NGA 72073]]</ref> and Vinckboons, David. A number of ice scenes, including compositions by Bol and Vinckboons, were conceived as parts of series representing the four seasons of the year.<ref>See, in particular, Hessel Gerritsz's engraving after Vinckboons, Heyms., illustrated in Albert Blankert et al., Hendrick Avercamp, 1585-1634; Barent Avercamp, 1612-1679: Frozen Silence - Paintings from Museums and Private Collections (Amsterdam, 1982), 150-151, cat.33</ref> Other depictions of skaters appear in emblematic prints, where the difficulty of staying upright was associated with the slipperiness of human life.<ref>A print by Johannes Galle after Pieter Bruegel the Elder of an ice scene, dated 1553, is entitled "De slibberachtigheyt van's menschen leven." For a discussion of emblematic literature of ice scenes, see Evert van Straaten, Koud tot op het Bot (The Hague, 1977), 43-48. See also the colored drawings of ice scenes by Adriaen van de Venne in Martin Royalton-Kisch, Adriaen van de Venne's Album (London, 1988) 326, 336-342.</ref>		Avercamp, who lived in Kampen, far removed from the artistic centers of Haarlem and Amsterdam, worked his entire career in a style that derived from sixteenth century prototypes, where landscape vistas were viewed from above to allow for a panoramic overview of the scene below. The specific type of winter scene favored by Avercamp follows a rich tradition that goes back to Bruegel the Elder, Pieter, such as the latter’s ''Winter Landscape with Bird-Trap'', 1565 (Koninklijk Museum voor Schone Kunsten, Brussels), a composition whose popularity can be measured by the frequent copies made by the Flemish master’s son, Brueghel the Younger, Pieter. Similar scenes appeared in prints and drawings by other artists, including Bol, Hans<ref>[[File:Hans Bol, Winter Landscape with Skaters, c. 1584-1586, NGA 72073.jpg\|thumb\|Hans Bol, Winter Landscape with Skaters, c. 1584-1586, NGA 72073]]</ref> and Vinckboons, David. A number of ice scenes, including compositions by Bol and Vinckboons, were conceived as parts of series representing the four seasons of the year.<ref>See, in particular, Hessel Gerritsz's engraving after Vinckboons, Heyms., illustrated in Albert Blankert et al., Hendrick Avercamp, 1585-1634; Barent Avercamp, 1612-1679: Frozen Silence - Paintings from Museums and Private Collections (Amsterdam, 1982), 150-151, cat.33</ref> Other depictions of skaters appear in emblematic prints, where the difficulty of staying upright was associated with the slipperiness of human life.<ref>A print by Johannes Galle after Pieter Bruegel the Elder of an ice scene, dated 1553, is entitled "De slibberachtigheyt van's menschen leven." For a discussion of emblematic literature of ice scenes, see Evert van Straaten, Koud tot op het Bot (The Hague, 1977), 43-48. See also the colored drawings of ice scenes by Adriaen van de Venne in Martin Royalton-Kisch, Adriaen van de Venne's Album (London, 1988) 326, 336-342.</ref>

Bradley.t.nixon: /* By Arthur K. Wheelock Jr. */

2025-09-06T00:25:31Z

By Arthur K. Wheelock Jr.

← Older revision		Revision as of 17:25, 5 September 2025
Line 1:		Line 1:
	====== By Arthur K. Wheelock Jr. ======		====== By Arthur K. Wheelock Jr. ======
	[[File:A_Scene_on_the_Ice.jpg\|alt=A Scene on the Ice\|thumb\|~~100vw~~\|''Hendrick Avercamp, A Scene on the Ice, c. 1625'']]The smooth ice of a frozen river or canal was (and is) a source of great pleasure for the Dutch. The sense of freedom it provided created an almost holiday spirit for both young and old, rich and poor. For the upper class it was a time to enjoy the brisk winter air in beautifully crafted horse-drawn sleighs; for the young at heart it offered a chance to skate along holding hands with a loved one; for others it provided a chance to play kolf, to ice fish, or just to watch the array of humanity enjoying their shared experience. Frozen waterways also served as transportation arteries that enabled the movement of people and goods, so winter days spent on the frozen ice may not always have been as carefree as this description would imply; still, the pictorial and literary traditions from the seventeenth century certainly highlight the positive aspects.<ref>See Jan Six van Chandelier's Amsterdammers Winter, ed. Maria A. Schenkeveld-van der Dussen (Utrecht, 1988)</ref> Primary among those who created this idyllic image of Dutch winters was Hendrick Avercamp. In numerous landscapes such as this one he recorded the experiences of his compatriots as they skated, sleighed, talked, or just quietly observed the open expanse of smooth ice on a frozen waterway.		[[File:A_Scene_on_the_Ice.jpg\|alt=A Scene on the Ice\|thumb\|100%\|''Hendrick Avercamp, A Scene on the Ice, c. 1625'']]The smooth ice of a frozen river or canal was (and is) a source of great pleasure for the Dutch. The sense of freedom it provided created an almost holiday spirit for both young and old, rich and poor. For the upper class it was a time to enjoy the brisk winter air in beautifully crafted horse-drawn sleighs; for the young at heart it offered a chance to skate along holding hands with a loved one; for others it provided a chance to play kolf, to ice fish, or just to watch the array of humanity enjoying their shared experience. Frozen waterways also served as transportation arteries that enabled the movement of people and goods, so winter days spent on the frozen ice may not always have been as carefree as this description would imply; still, the pictorial and literary traditions from the seventeenth century certainly highlight the positive aspects.<ref>See Jan Six van Chandelier's Amsterdammers Winter, ed. Maria A. Schenkeveld-van der Dussen (Utrecht, 1988)</ref> Primary among those who created this idyllic image of Dutch winters was Hendrick Avercamp. In numerous landscapes such as this one he recorded the experiences of his compatriots as they skated, sleighed, talked, or just quietly observed the open expanse of smooth ice on a frozen waterway.

	Avercamp, who lived in Kampen, far removed from the artistic centers of Haarlem and Amsterdam, worked his entire career in a style that derived from sixteenth century prototypes, where landscape vistas were viewed from above to allow for a panoramic overview of the scene below. The specific type of winter scene favored by Avercamp follows a rich tradition that goes back to Bruegel the Elder, Pieter, such as the latter’s ''Winter Landscape with Bird-Trap'', 1565 (Koninklijk Museum voor Schone Kunsten, Brussels), a composition whose popularity can be measured by the frequent copies made by the Flemish master’s son, Brueghel the Younger, Pieter. Similar scenes appeared in prints and drawings by other artists, including Bol, Hans<ref>[[File:Hans Bol, Winter Landscape with Skaters, c. 1584-1586, NGA 72073.jpg\|thumb\|Hans Bol, Winter Landscape with Skaters, c. 1584-1586, NGA 72073]]</ref> and Vinckboons, David. A number of ice scenes, including compositions by Bol and Vinckboons, were conceived as parts of series representing the four seasons of the year.<ref>See, in particular, Hessel Gerritsz's engraving after Vinckboons, Heyms., illustrated in Albert Blankert et al., Hendrick Avercamp, 1585-1634; Barent Avercamp, 1612-1679: Frozen Silence - Paintings from Museums and Private Collections (Amsterdam, 1982), 150-151, cat.33</ref> Other depictions of skaters appear in emblematic prints, where the difficulty of staying upright was associated with the slipperiness of human life.<ref>A print by Johannes Galle after Pieter Bruegel the Elder of an ice scene, dated 1553, is entitled "De slibberachtigheyt van's menschen leven." For a discussion of emblematic literature of ice scenes, see Evert van Straaten, Koud tot op het Bot (The Hague, 1977), 43-48. See also the colored drawings of ice scenes by Adriaen van de Venne in Martin Royalton-Kisch, Adriaen van de Venne's Album (London, 1988) 326, 336-342.</ref>		Avercamp, who lived in Kampen, far removed from the artistic centers of Haarlem and Amsterdam, worked his entire career in a style that derived from sixteenth century prototypes, where landscape vistas were viewed from above to allow for a panoramic overview of the scene below. The specific type of winter scene favored by Avercamp follows a rich tradition that goes back to Bruegel the Elder, Pieter, such as the latter’s ''Winter Landscape with Bird-Trap'', 1565 (Koninklijk Museum voor Schone Kunsten, Brussels), a composition whose popularity can be measured by the frequent copies made by the Flemish master’s son, Brueghel the Younger, Pieter. Similar scenes appeared in prints and drawings by other artists, including Bol, Hans<ref>[[File:Hans Bol, Winter Landscape with Skaters, c. 1584-1586, NGA 72073.jpg\|thumb\|Hans Bol, Winter Landscape with Skaters, c. 1584-1586, NGA 72073]]</ref> and Vinckboons, David. A number of ice scenes, including compositions by Bol and Vinckboons, were conceived as parts of series representing the four seasons of the year.<ref>See, in particular, Hessel Gerritsz's engraving after Vinckboons, Heyms., illustrated in Albert Blankert et al., Hendrick Avercamp, 1585-1634; Barent Avercamp, 1612-1679: Frozen Silence - Paintings from Museums and Private Collections (Amsterdam, 1982), 150-151, cat.33</ref> Other depictions of skaters appear in emblematic prints, where the difficulty of staying upright was associated with the slipperiness of human life.<ref>A print by Johannes Galle after Pieter Bruegel the Elder of an ice scene, dated 1553, is entitled "De slibberachtigheyt van's menschen leven." For a discussion of emblematic literature of ice scenes, see Evert van Straaten, Koud tot op het Bot (The Hague, 1977), 43-48. See also the colored drawings of ice scenes by Adriaen van de Venne in Martin Royalton-Kisch, Adriaen van de Venne's Album (London, 1988) 326, 336-342.</ref>

Bradley.t.nixon: /* By Arthur K. Wheelock Jr. */

2025-09-06T00:24:28Z

By Arthur K. Wheelock Jr.

← Older revision		Revision as of 17:24, 5 September 2025
Line 1:		Line 1:
	====== By Arthur K. Wheelock Jr. ======		====== By Arthur K. Wheelock Jr. ======
	[[File:A_Scene_on_the_Ice.jpg\|alt=A Scene on the Ice\|thumb\|~~600px~~\|''Hendrick Avercamp, A Scene on the Ice, c. 1625'']]The smooth ice of a frozen river or canal was (and is) a source of great pleasure for the Dutch. The sense of freedom it provided created an almost holiday spirit for both young and old, rich and poor. For the upper class it was a time to enjoy the brisk winter air in beautifully crafted horse-drawn sleighs; for the young at heart it offered a chance to skate along holding hands with a loved one; for others it provided a chance to play kolf, to ice fish, or just to watch the array of humanity enjoying their shared experience. Frozen waterways also served as transportation arteries that enabled the movement of people and goods, so winter days spent on the frozen ice may not always have been as carefree as this description would imply; still, the pictorial and literary traditions from the seventeenth century certainly highlight the positive aspects.<ref>See Jan Six van Chandelier's Amsterdammers Winter, ed. Maria A. Schenkeveld-van der Dussen (Utrecht, 1988)</ref> Primary among those who created this idyllic image of Dutch winters was Hendrick Avercamp. In numerous landscapes such as this one he recorded the experiences of his compatriots as they skated, sleighed, talked, or just quietly observed the open expanse of smooth ice on a frozen waterway.		[[File:A_Scene_on_the_Ice.jpg\|alt=A Scene on the Ice\|thumb\|100vw\|''Hendrick Avercamp, A Scene on the Ice, c. 1625'']]The smooth ice of a frozen river or canal was (and is) a source of great pleasure for the Dutch. The sense of freedom it provided created an almost holiday spirit for both young and old, rich and poor. For the upper class it was a time to enjoy the brisk winter air in beautifully crafted horse-drawn sleighs; for the young at heart it offered a chance to skate along holding hands with a loved one; for others it provided a chance to play kolf, to ice fish, or just to watch the array of humanity enjoying their shared experience. Frozen waterways also served as transportation arteries that enabled the movement of people and goods, so winter days spent on the frozen ice may not always have been as carefree as this description would imply; still, the pictorial and literary traditions from the seventeenth century certainly highlight the positive aspects.<ref>See Jan Six van Chandelier's Amsterdammers Winter, ed. Maria A. Schenkeveld-van der Dussen (Utrecht, 1988)</ref> Primary among those who created this idyllic image of Dutch winters was Hendrick Avercamp. In numerous landscapes such as this one he recorded the experiences of his compatriots as they skated, sleighed, talked, or just quietly observed the open expanse of smooth ice on a frozen waterway.

	Avercamp, who lived in Kampen, far removed from the artistic centers of Haarlem and Amsterdam, worked his entire career in a style that derived from sixteenth century prototypes, where landscape vistas were viewed from above to allow for a panoramic overview of the scene below. The specific type of winter scene favored by Avercamp follows a rich tradition that goes back to Bruegel the Elder, Pieter, such as the latter’s ''Winter Landscape with Bird-Trap'', 1565 (Koninklijk Museum voor Schone Kunsten, Brussels), a composition whose popularity can be measured by the frequent copies made by the Flemish master’s son, Brueghel the Younger, Pieter. Similar scenes appeared in prints and drawings by other artists, including Bol, Hans<ref>[[File:Hans Bol, Winter Landscape with Skaters, c. 1584-1586, NGA 72073.jpg\|thumb\|Hans Bol, Winter Landscape with Skaters, c. 1584-1586, NGA 72073]]</ref> and Vinckboons, David. A number of ice scenes, including compositions by Bol and Vinckboons, were conceived as parts of series representing the four seasons of the year.<ref>See, in particular, Hessel Gerritsz's engraving after Vinckboons, Heyms., illustrated in Albert Blankert et al., Hendrick Avercamp, 1585-1634; Barent Avercamp, 1612-1679: Frozen Silence - Paintings from Museums and Private Collections (Amsterdam, 1982), 150-151, cat.33</ref> Other depictions of skaters appear in emblematic prints, where the difficulty of staying upright was associated with the slipperiness of human life.<ref>A print by Johannes Galle after Pieter Bruegel the Elder of an ice scene, dated 1553, is entitled "De slibberachtigheyt van's menschen leven." For a discussion of emblematic literature of ice scenes, see Evert van Straaten, Koud tot op het Bot (The Hague, 1977), 43-48. See also the colored drawings of ice scenes by Adriaen van de Venne in Martin Royalton-Kisch, Adriaen van de Venne's Album (London, 1988) 326, 336-342.</ref>		Avercamp, who lived in Kampen, far removed from the artistic centers of Haarlem and Amsterdam, worked his entire career in a style that derived from sixteenth century prototypes, where landscape vistas were viewed from above to allow for a panoramic overview of the scene below. The specific type of winter scene favored by Avercamp follows a rich tradition that goes back to Bruegel the Elder, Pieter, such as the latter’s ''Winter Landscape with Bird-Trap'', 1565 (Koninklijk Museum voor Schone Kunsten, Brussels), a composition whose popularity can be measured by the frequent copies made by the Flemish master’s son, Brueghel the Younger, Pieter. Similar scenes appeared in prints and drawings by other artists, including Bol, Hans<ref>[[File:Hans Bol, Winter Landscape with Skaters, c. 1584-1586, NGA 72073.jpg\|thumb\|Hans Bol, Winter Landscape with Skaters, c. 1584-1586, NGA 72073]]</ref> and Vinckboons, David. A number of ice scenes, including compositions by Bol and Vinckboons, were conceived as parts of series representing the four seasons of the year.<ref>See, in particular, Hessel Gerritsz's engraving after Vinckboons, Heyms., illustrated in Albert Blankert et al., Hendrick Avercamp, 1585-1634; Barent Avercamp, 1612-1679: Frozen Silence - Paintings from Museums and Private Collections (Amsterdam, 1982), 150-151, cat.33</ref> Other depictions of skaters appear in emblematic prints, where the difficulty of staying upright was associated with the slipperiness of human life.<ref>A print by Johannes Galle after Pieter Bruegel the Elder of an ice scene, dated 1553, is entitled "De slibberachtigheyt van's menschen leven." For a discussion of emblematic literature of ice scenes, see Evert van Straaten, Koud tot op het Bot (The Hague, 1977), 43-48. See also the colored drawings of ice scenes by Adriaen van de Venne in Martin Royalton-Kisch, Adriaen van de Venne's Album (London, 1988) 326, 336-342.</ref>

Bradley.t.nixon: /* By Arthur K. Wheelock Jr. */

2025-09-06T00:22:22Z

By Arthur K. Wheelock Jr.

← Older revision		Revision as of 17:22, 5 September 2025
Line 1:		Line 1:
	====== By Arthur K. Wheelock Jr. ======		====== By Arthur K. Wheelock Jr. ======
	[[File:A_Scene_on_the_Ice.jpg\|alt=A Scene on the Ice\|thumb\|~~600x600~~\|''Hendrick Avercamp, A Scene on the Ice, c. 1625'']]The smooth ice of a frozen river or canal was (and is) a source of great pleasure for the Dutch. The sense of freedom it provided created an almost holiday spirit for both young and old, rich and poor. For the upper class it was a time to enjoy the brisk winter air in beautifully crafted horse-drawn sleighs; for the young at heart it offered a chance to skate along holding hands with a loved one; for others it provided a chance to play kolf, to ice fish, or just to watch the array of humanity enjoying their shared experience. Frozen waterways also served as transportation arteries that enabled the movement of people and goods, so winter days spent on the frozen ice may not always have been as carefree as this description would imply; still, the pictorial and literary traditions from the seventeenth century certainly highlight the positive aspects.<ref>See Jan Six van Chandelier's Amsterdammers Winter, ed. Maria A. Schenkeveld-van der Dussen (Utrecht, 1988)</ref> Primary among those who created this idyllic image of Dutch winters was Hendrick Avercamp. In numerous landscapes such as this one he recorded the experiences of his compatriots as they skated, sleighed, talked, or just quietly observed the open expanse of smooth ice on a frozen waterway.		[[File:A_Scene_on_the_Ice.jpg\|alt=A Scene on the Ice\|thumb\|600px\|''Hendrick Avercamp, A Scene on the Ice, c. 1625'']]The smooth ice of a frozen river or canal was (and is) a source of great pleasure for the Dutch. The sense of freedom it provided created an almost holiday spirit for both young and old, rich and poor. For the upper class it was a time to enjoy the brisk winter air in beautifully crafted horse-drawn sleighs; for the young at heart it offered a chance to skate along holding hands with a loved one; for others it provided a chance to play kolf, to ice fish, or just to watch the array of humanity enjoying their shared experience. Frozen waterways also served as transportation arteries that enabled the movement of people and goods, so winter days spent on the frozen ice may not always have been as carefree as this description would imply; still, the pictorial and literary traditions from the seventeenth century certainly highlight the positive aspects.<ref>See Jan Six van Chandelier's Amsterdammers Winter, ed. Maria A. Schenkeveld-van der Dussen (Utrecht, 1988)</ref> Primary among those who created this idyllic image of Dutch winters was Hendrick Avercamp. In numerous landscapes such as this one he recorded the experiences of his compatriots as they skated, sleighed, talked, or just quietly observed the open expanse of smooth ice on a frozen waterway.

	Avercamp, who lived in Kampen, far removed from the artistic centers of Haarlem and Amsterdam, worked his entire career in a style that derived from sixteenth century prototypes, where landscape vistas were viewed from above to allow for a panoramic overview of the scene below. The specific type of winter scene favored by Avercamp follows a rich tradition that goes back to Bruegel the Elder, Pieter, such as the latter’s ''Winter Landscape with Bird-Trap'', 1565 (Koninklijk Museum voor Schone Kunsten, Brussels), a composition whose popularity can be measured by the frequent copies made by the Flemish master’s son, Brueghel the Younger, Pieter. Similar scenes appeared in prints and drawings by other artists, including Bol, Hans<ref>[[File:Hans Bol, Winter Landscape with Skaters, c. 1584-1586, NGA 72073.jpg\|thumb\|Hans Bol, Winter Landscape with Skaters, c. 1584-1586, NGA 72073]]</ref> and Vinckboons, David. A number of ice scenes, including compositions by Bol and Vinckboons, were conceived as parts of series representing the four seasons of the year.<ref>See, in particular, Hessel Gerritsz's engraving after Vinckboons, Heyms., illustrated in Albert Blankert et al., Hendrick Avercamp, 1585-1634; Barent Avercamp, 1612-1679: Frozen Silence - Paintings from Museums and Private Collections (Amsterdam, 1982), 150-151, cat.33</ref> Other depictions of skaters appear in emblematic prints, where the difficulty of staying upright was associated with the slipperiness of human life.<ref>A print by Johannes Galle after Pieter Bruegel the Elder of an ice scene, dated 1553, is entitled "De slibberachtigheyt van's menschen leven." For a discussion of emblematic literature of ice scenes, see Evert van Straaten, Koud tot op het Bot (The Hague, 1977), 43-48. See also the colored drawings of ice scenes by Adriaen van de Venne in Martin Royalton-Kisch, Adriaen van de Venne's Album (London, 1988) 326, 336-342.</ref>		Avercamp, who lived in Kampen, far removed from the artistic centers of Haarlem and Amsterdam, worked his entire career in a style that derived from sixteenth century prototypes, where landscape vistas were viewed from above to allow for a panoramic overview of the scene below. The specific type of winter scene favored by Avercamp follows a rich tradition that goes back to Bruegel the Elder, Pieter, such as the latter’s ''Winter Landscape with Bird-Trap'', 1565 (Koninklijk Museum voor Schone Kunsten, Brussels), a composition whose popularity can be measured by the frequent copies made by the Flemish master’s son, Brueghel the Younger, Pieter. Similar scenes appeared in prints and drawings by other artists, including Bol, Hans<ref>[[File:Hans Bol, Winter Landscape with Skaters, c. 1584-1586, NGA 72073.jpg\|thumb\|Hans Bol, Winter Landscape with Skaters, c. 1584-1586, NGA 72073]]</ref> and Vinckboons, David. A number of ice scenes, including compositions by Bol and Vinckboons, were conceived as parts of series representing the four seasons of the year.<ref>See, in particular, Hessel Gerritsz's engraving after Vinckboons, Heyms., illustrated in Albert Blankert et al., Hendrick Avercamp, 1585-1634; Barent Avercamp, 1612-1679: Frozen Silence - Paintings from Museums and Private Collections (Amsterdam, 1982), 150-151, cat.33</ref> Other depictions of skaters appear in emblematic prints, where the difficulty of staying upright was associated with the slipperiness of human life.<ref>A print by Johannes Galle after Pieter Bruegel the Elder of an ice scene, dated 1553, is entitled "De slibberachtigheyt van's menschen leven." For a discussion of emblematic literature of ice scenes, see Evert van Straaten, Koud tot op het Bot (The Hague, 1977), 43-48. See also the colored drawings of ice scenes by Adriaen van de Venne in Martin Royalton-Kisch, Adriaen van de Venne's Album (London, 1988) 326, 336-342.</ref>

Bradley.t.nixon: /* By Arthur K. Wheelock Jr. */

2025-09-06T00:21:20Z

By Arthur K. Wheelock Jr.

← Older revision		Revision as of 17:21, 5 September 2025
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	====== By Arthur K. Wheelock Jr. ======		====== By Arthur K. Wheelock Jr. ======
	[[File:A_Scene_on_the_Ice.jpg\|alt=A Scene on the Ice\|thumb\|''Hendrick Avercamp, A Scene on the Ice, c. 1625'']]The smooth ice of a frozen river or canal was (and is) a source of great pleasure for the Dutch. The sense of freedom it provided created an almost holiday spirit for both young and old, rich and poor. For the upper class it was a time to enjoy the brisk winter air in beautifully crafted horse-drawn sleighs; for the young at heart it offered a chance to skate along holding hands with a loved one; for others it provided a chance to play kolf, to ice fish, or just to watch the array of humanity enjoying their shared experience. Frozen waterways also served as transportation arteries that enabled the movement of people and goods, so winter days spent on the frozen ice may not always have been as carefree as this description would imply; still, the pictorial and literary traditions from the seventeenth century certainly highlight the positive aspects.<ref>See Jan Six van Chandelier's Amsterdammers Winter, ed. Maria A. Schenkeveld-van der Dussen (Utrecht, 1988)</ref> Primary among those who created this idyllic image of Dutch winters was Hendrick Avercamp. In numerous landscapes such as this one he recorded the experiences of his compatriots as they skated, sleighed, talked, or just quietly observed the open expanse of smooth ice on a frozen waterway.		[[File:A_Scene_on_the_Ice.jpg\|alt=A Scene on the Ice\|thumb\|600x600\|''Hendrick Avercamp, A Scene on the Ice, c. 1625'']]The smooth ice of a frozen river or canal was (and is) a source of great pleasure for the Dutch. The sense of freedom it provided created an almost holiday spirit for both young and old, rich and poor. For the upper class it was a time to enjoy the brisk winter air in beautifully crafted horse-drawn sleighs; for the young at heart it offered a chance to skate along holding hands with a loved one; for others it provided a chance to play kolf, to ice fish, or just to watch the array of humanity enjoying their shared experience. Frozen waterways also served as transportation arteries that enabled the movement of people and goods, so winter days spent on the frozen ice may not always have been as carefree as this description would imply; still, the pictorial and literary traditions from the seventeenth century certainly highlight the positive aspects.<ref>See Jan Six van Chandelier's Amsterdammers Winter, ed. Maria A. Schenkeveld-van der Dussen (Utrecht, 1988)</ref> Primary among those who created this idyllic image of Dutch winters was Hendrick Avercamp. In numerous landscapes such as this one he recorded the experiences of his compatriots as they skated, sleighed, talked, or just quietly observed the open expanse of smooth ice on a frozen waterway.

	Avercamp, who lived in Kampen, far removed from the artistic centers of Haarlem and Amsterdam, worked his entire career in a style that derived from sixteenth century prototypes, where landscape vistas were viewed from above to allow for a panoramic overview of the scene below. The specific type of winter scene favored by Avercamp follows a rich tradition that goes back to Bruegel the Elder, Pieter, such as the latter’s ''Winter Landscape with Bird-Trap'', 1565 (Koninklijk Museum voor Schone Kunsten, Brussels), a composition whose popularity can be measured by the frequent copies made by the Flemish master’s son, Brueghel the Younger, Pieter. Similar scenes appeared in prints and drawings by other artists, including Bol, Hans<ref>[[File:Hans Bol, Winter Landscape with Skaters, c. 1584-1586, NGA 72073.jpg\|thumb\|Hans Bol, Winter Landscape with Skaters, c. 1584-1586, NGA 72073]]</ref> and Vinckboons, David. A number of ice scenes, including compositions by Bol and Vinckboons, were conceived as parts of series representing the four seasons of the year.<ref>See, in particular, Hessel Gerritsz's engraving after Vinckboons, Heyms., illustrated in Albert Blankert et al., Hendrick Avercamp, 1585-1634; Barent Avercamp, 1612-1679: Frozen Silence - Paintings from Museums and Private Collections (Amsterdam, 1982), 150-151, cat.33</ref> Other depictions of skaters appear in emblematic prints, where the difficulty of staying upright was associated with the slipperiness of human life.<ref>A print by Johannes Galle after Pieter Bruegel the Elder of an ice scene, dated 1553, is entitled "De slibberachtigheyt van's menschen leven." For a discussion of emblematic literature of ice scenes, see Evert van Straaten, Koud tot op het Bot (The Hague, 1977), 43-48. See also the colored drawings of ice scenes by Adriaen van de Venne in Martin Royalton-Kisch, Adriaen van de Venne's Album (London, 1988) 326, 336-342.</ref>		Avercamp, who lived in Kampen, far removed from the artistic centers of Haarlem and Amsterdam, worked his entire career in a style that derived from sixteenth century prototypes, where landscape vistas were viewed from above to allow for a panoramic overview of the scene below. The specific type of winter scene favored by Avercamp follows a rich tradition that goes back to Bruegel the Elder, Pieter, such as the latter’s ''Winter Landscape with Bird-Trap'', 1565 (Koninklijk Museum voor Schone Kunsten, Brussels), a composition whose popularity can be measured by the frequent copies made by the Flemish master’s son, Brueghel the Younger, Pieter. Similar scenes appeared in prints and drawings by other artists, including Bol, Hans<ref>[[File:Hans Bol, Winter Landscape with Skaters, c. 1584-1586, NGA 72073.jpg\|thumb\|Hans Bol, Winter Landscape with Skaters, c. 1584-1586, NGA 72073]]</ref> and Vinckboons, David. A number of ice scenes, including compositions by Bol and Vinckboons, were conceived as parts of series representing the four seasons of the year.<ref>See, in particular, Hessel Gerritsz's engraving after Vinckboons, Heyms., illustrated in Albert Blankert et al., Hendrick Avercamp, 1585-1634; Barent Avercamp, 1612-1679: Frozen Silence - Paintings from Museums and Private Collections (Amsterdam, 1982), 150-151, cat.33</ref> Other depictions of skaters appear in emblematic prints, where the difficulty of staying upright was associated with the slipperiness of human life.<ref>A print by Johannes Galle after Pieter Bruegel the Elder of an ice scene, dated 1553, is entitled "De slibberachtigheyt van's menschen leven." For a discussion of emblematic literature of ice scenes, see Evert van Straaten, Koud tot op het Bot (The Hague, 1977), 43-48. See also the colored drawings of ice scenes by Adriaen van de Venne in Martin Royalton-Kisch, Adriaen van de Venne's Album (London, 1988) 326, 336-342.</ref>