Skaters on the Ice, a Man Pushing a Sledge and a Kolf-player / verso: Two Skaters c. 1620 - 1625

Here is Hendrick Avercamp’s “Skaters on the Ice, a Man Pushing a Sledge and a Kolf-player” a pen and brown ink drawing with watercolor, made around 1600-1630. Avercamp was one of the first artists to specialize in winter landscapes in Dutch art. Avercamp, who was deaf, may have been drawn to the quietude of the frozen landscape. He also paints a picture of Dutch society, bringing together people from different social classes. We see men and women, some well-dressed, others more plainly attired, all sharing the ice. A man pushes a sledge, while others skate and play kolf, a game similar to golf. Avercamp challenges traditional representations of winter as a time of hardship, offering instead a vision of community and leisure. This idyllic scene reflects the unique social dynamics of the Netherlands during the Dutch Golden Age. It asks us to reflect on what brings people together, and how shared experiences can blur social boundaries.