Landscape 1633

Claude de Jongh painted this landscape using oil on wood. The smooth surface allows for a very fine level of detail, although the artist kept to a muted palette. De Jongh was born in Utrecht, but spent much of his career in England, where he specialized in architectural painting, of cityscapes and country houses. The making of these paintings was reliant on skilled labor. Pigments were carefully ground and mixed with oil, and applied with brushes that had to be maintained. Panels were prepared by joiners and gessoed by hand. Though landscape painting may seem far removed from the social realities of labor, this work offers a vision of rural industry. We can see figures and animals milling about near the architectural structures, each contributing to the everyday life of this place. Consider the many hands that contributed to its making, from the tradesmen depicted in the landscape, to those involved in the production of art materials. Thinking about these processes enriches our understanding of the image and its place in the world.