Plaat, beschilderd met een rivierlandschap met kasteel, boerderij en enkele figuren c. 1670 - 1700

This is Frederik van Frytom’s ‘Plaat, beschilderd met een rivierlandschap met kasteel, boerderij en enkele figuren,’ a painted tile depicting a river landscape with a castle, farm, and figures. This type of Dutch landscape painting captured the cultural imagination by idealizing the local countryside and emphasizing the harmony between the land and its inhabitants. In this piece, the artist uses a muted blue palette to portray a serene scene of daily life alongside the river. The inclusion of the castle and the leisurely figures in the foreground implies a class hierarchy subtly embedded within the landscape. These details offer a glimpse into the social dynamics of the time, where the pastoral setting served as a backdrop for both labor and leisure. The artist thus develops an image of the landscape that perpetuates a romanticized yet complex narrative of Dutch society.