The Art of Aelbert Cuyp

Aelbert Jacobsz Cuyp (October 20, 1620 – November 15, 1691) was one of the leading Dutch landscape painters of the Dutch Golden Age in the 17th century. The most famous of a family of painters, the pupil of his father Jacob Gerritsz Cuyp (1594–1651/52), he is especially known for his large views of the Dutch countryside in early morning or late afternoon light.



A boat divides this panoramic river view, with the town of Dordrecht on the right, where the river Maas meets the sea, and the city of Zwijndrecht opposite. Although the painting looks as if it were painted at the scene, Aelbert Cuyp executed the canvas in his studio, using studies previously made outdoors. By employing an extreme horizontal format, he emphasized the flatness of the land under the wide expanse of sky. The low horizon opens out to a vast, cloud-laden sky, evoking the changeability of coastal weather. Cuyp included precise details that convey the particularities of the specific place portrayed: the boat's rigging and flag and the towns' windmills, houses, and churches.