View of Haarlem from the Northwest, with the Bleaching Fields in the Foreground c. 1650 - 1682
jacobvanruisdael
charcoal drawing
possibly oil pastel
oil painting
portrait reference
portrait head and shoulder
underpainting
animal drawing portrait
portrait drawing
watercolor
digital portrait
Jacob van Ruisdael’s "View of Haarlem from the Northwest, with the Bleaching Fields in the Foreground" is a classic example of the Dutch Golden Age landscape painting style. The painting captures the beauty of the Dutch countryside with a focus on the city of Haarlem in the distance. Ruisdael's attention to detail is evident in the depiction of the bleaching fields, where linens were spread out to whiten in the sun, a common sight in the Netherlands. The vast sky, filled with fluffy clouds, provides a dramatic contrast to the lush green fields. The painting is also notable for its atmospheric perspective, with the distant city appearing hazy and ethereal, creating a sense of depth and scale.
Comments
Foreigners experience the flat Dutch landscape as having a straight, low horizon extending under a vast sky with billowing cumulus clouds. This is how Ruisdael painted the Haarlem skyline in the distance, recognizable by the high roof of St Bavo’s. Lengths of cloth bleaching in the sun lie at the foot of the dunes in the foreground. The Haarlem linen industry relied on the pure dune water.
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