Aert van der Neer (1603/4-1677)

As a painter of moonlit and winter landscapes, Aert van der Neer was one of the most important landscapists of his age. He had only taken up painting after he settled in Amsterdam in the early 1630s, at which time his style reflected the slightly archaic style of the brothers Raphael Govertsz. and Joachem Camphuysen, also natives of Gorinchem. The present mature work, which is datable to the 1650-60s on the basis of the costume worn by the elegant figures in the foreground, ably illustrates Aert van der Neer's ability to render light and capture the subtle definitions of atmosphere, a talent which ensured the development of his reputation. Working from a characteristically low-toned landscape, he punctures the scene in the present work with delicate points of color which lead the spectator onto the ice, and which are also reflected on the ground and in the fabric of the buildings to give a warm glow to this chilly, windy setting.

In a carved and giltwod Louis XV frame.