Rider in the Dunes c. 1645 - 1650

Editor: This is Philips Wouwerman’s “Rider in the Dunes,” from around 1645 to 1650, done with oil paint. I’m struck by how muted the colors are, and the almost barren feel of the landscape. What stands out to you in this piece? Curator: What grabs me are the materials themselves. Oil paint allowed Wouwerman to meticulously depict the texture of the sand, the coarse fabric of the rider's clothes, and even the almost imperceptible details of the sky. But it's crucial to consider who had access to such materials. Fine oil paints and skilled artistic labor were expensive! Who would commission such a scene, and what does that say about the social value placed on landscapes at that time? Editor: That's a really interesting point! I hadn't thought about the economic aspect so directly. Does the way the paint is applied – like, how thick or thin it is – tell us anything about Wouwerman's process or his relationship with his materials? Curator: Absolutely. Notice the thin, almost transparent washes in the sky, versus the slightly thicker application on the dune in the foreground. This suggests a careful building of layers. Furthermore, what kind of labor does landscape art mask? Is there evidence of agriculture or the toiling of those who were tied to this land? Who truly benefitted from this vista and the painting thereof? Editor: I see what you mean. The absence of agricultural markers in the frame seems deliberate, and the labour that enabled that visual privilege goes unnoticed. So, considering all these layers, literally and figuratively, is this painting really about a ‘rider in the dunes’ or something much bigger about how land and art were perceived and consumed? Curator: Exactly! It forces us to question whose stories get told, whose labor is valued, and who can afford to participate in art creation and appreciation. Editor: This perspective gives me much to reflect on! Thanks.