A Mountainous Landscape with Travellers on a Road 1650 - 1655

Jan van Aken's "A Mountainous Landscape with Travellers on a Road" (1650-1655), is a detailed, black chalk drawing of a winding path through a mountainous landscape. The drawing showcases van Aken's mastery of depicting natural forms, evident in the meticulously rendered trees and rocky cliffs. The two loaded donkeys at the bottom of the composition add a sense of scale and hint at a story of travel through a rugged, yet picturesque, terrain. The drawing is a fine example of Dutch landscape art from the mid-17th century and is currently held in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City.