Creative Commons License
The Medieval Walls of Nijmegen
(Baroque Europe )
Van Goyen traveled extensively to find scenic vistas for his landscapes. This one shows the remnants of the medieval castle and a section of the walls of the city Nijmegen, on the Waal River in the eastern Netherlands. Against this imposing historic backdrop, the artist introduced a detail from rural life: a ferryboat carrying travelers and farmers with their cows to market.
The beauty of van Goyen's landscapes lies in his handling of simple visual effects, here the reflections of the sky and foliage in the water, versus the unreflective surfaces of the buildings and earth. The overcast sky is typically Dutch; the resulting cool light brings out his orchestration of tonal distinctions.
Inscription
Provenance
Provenance (from the French provenir, 'to come from/forth') is the chronology of the ownership, custody, or location of a historical object.
Don Marcello Massarenti Collection, Rome, no. 659; purchased by Henry Walters, Baltimore, 1902; by bequest to Walters Art Museum, 1931.
Exhibitions
| 1981-1982 | New Light on Old Pictures: Dutch and Flemish Paintings from the Walters. The Walters Art Gallery, Baltimore. |
| 1971-1972 | World of Wonder. The Walters Art Gallery, Baltimore. |
Conservation
| Date | Description | Narrative |
|---|---|---|
| 4/7/1943 | Treatment | chemical analysis; coated; surface cleaned; varnish removed or reduced |
| 10/29/1980 | Examination | examined for condition |
| 1/19/1983 | Treatment | coated; inpainted; lined; reconstructed; surface cleaned; varnish removed or reduced |
Geographies
Netherlands, The Hague
(Place of Origin)
Netherlands, Nijmegen (Place Depicted)
Measurements
H: 16 1/4 x W: 23 1/8 in. (41.3 x 58.7 cm)
Credit Line
Acquired by Henry Walters with the Massarenti Collection, 1902
Location in Museum
Not on view
Accession Number
In libraries, galleries, museums, and archives, an accession number is a unique identifier assigned to each object in the collection.
In libraries, galleries, museums, and archives, an accession number is a unique identifier assigned to each object in the collection.
37.375