Road Lined with Trees c. 1675

Curator: This is Jacob van Ruisdael’s "Road Lined with Trees," a mid-17th century landscape now residing at the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: It feels like late afternoon just before a storm. The light is dim, but the clouds are so dramatic. Curator: Ruisdael was a master of atmospheric perspective. His dramatic clouds and subtle gradations of light were highly influential. Editor: The way he uses the trees to frame the road is almost theatrical. Like we’re being led somewhere… Curator: The road itself is symbolic, representing the journey of life, but also the trade routes of the Dutch Golden Age. Editor: Ah, I see it. It’s a landscape, but it’s also a statement about their society. Curator: Precisely. Looking at this piece, you get a sense of the Dutch Republic's economic power and cultural pride. Editor: I'll never look at a cloudy sky the same way again! Curator: A worthy takeaway, I'd say.