The Mouth of an Estuary with a Gateway

Image credit: The National Gallery, London

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The huge sky and the grey – but luminous – tones of this painting are typical of Jan van Goyen’s landscapes and seascapes. About three quarters of the composition is devoted to the towering clouds and the grey haze which obscures the brighter blues above; still more space is used to capture the bright reflections in the waters of the estuary. But this picture isn’t only about the sea and the sky, it is also a portrayal of everyday life. In the shadowy foreground we see passengers being rowed in a ferry and a woman dipping a basket over the quay. Two men moor a boat; others deliver cargo. The building at the left appears to be a water-gate of a type which appeared at the entrance of many Dutch towns. Along with Salomon van Ruysdael, van Goyen was one of the pioneers of a naturalistic approach to landscapes and seascapes.

The National Gallery, London

London

Title

The Mouth of an Estuary with a Gateway

Date

1649

Medium

Oil on oak

Measurements

H 33.2 x W 47.6 cm

Accession number

NG6464

Acquisition method

Presented by Mrs Alice Bleecker, 1981

Work type

Painting

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The National Gallery, London

Trafalgar Square, London, Greater London WC2N 5DN England

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