Forest Scene c. 1655

Jacob van Ruisdael made this "Forest Scene" with oil on canvas sometime in the mid-17th century. The Dutch Republic was a major maritime power at this time and was expanding its trade routes overseas. The vast cloudy sky dominates the landscape, dwarfing the figures of people and cattle barely visible on the path. We can think of the painting as an expression of national identity at a time when the Dutch were consolidating their power, projecting an image of a bountiful homeland. Ruisdael contributed to the development of landscape as an independent genre in Dutch painting. He received commissions from wealthy merchants and government officials who used art to express their sense of national pride and civic virtue. Looking at art history through a social lens is very rewarding, and there are many documentary sources and archives that can help us understand the wider context in which art is produced and consumed.