Page:Hofstede de Groot catalogue raisonné, Volume 4, 1912.djvu/17

 xin JACOB VAN RUISDAEL 3 dunes are, in contrast to these, characterised by low bushes which have been bent in a particular direction and stunted by the strong south-west winds. A typical example of these is the landscape (890) in the Louvre, where the church of Haarlem is seen in the distance. Ruisdael's views of town-streets are few in number, and are not among his happiest productions. Neither in colour nor treatment nor in con- struction do they attain the standard reached by others in this field in Holland. It is otherwise with the winter scenes, which are all genuinely Dutch subjects with snow-covered houses. Some, indeed, have become black through the darkening of the pigments, but others, in delicacy of tone and accuracy of observation, must be counted among the best works of the whole Dutch school (see^ for instance, 1002 and 1005). Among the coast-scenes and sea-pieces, strictly so called, there are also some most notable masterpieces, such as the precious " View on the Shore at Scheveningen " (927) in the National Gallery, London, and Lord North- brook's " Sea-piece : the Y on a Stormy Day " (959). It may be said without exaggeration that such pictures as these may be ranked with the best that professional sea-painters have produced. Ruisdael's seas are always rough, and viewed under a dark and stormy sky. Time has darkened them, thus increasing the gloomy effect. A few little vessels struggling against the elements introduce a dramatic element into the compositions. The pictures by Ruisdael which are most highly valued to-day are the panoramic views from the dunes of Overveen with the bleaching-grounds in front and the town of Haarlem with its great cathedral church in the distance. 1 Clouds pass over the sun and cause a play of light and shadow on the meadows, fields, and cottages. There is a great expanse of sky. One sees for miles across the plain, as far as the Haarlemer Meer. The details are handled with loving care especially the long strips of linen drying in the meadows, the many wind-mills with white sails, the tiled roofs, the bushes, and the hilly ground in front. Such pictures give an admirable representation of the distinctive Dutch landscape. Akin to these are similar scenes with the ruins of Brederode, the village of Beverwijk, and so forth. We have now in a few words indicated the numerous kinds of subject- matter which Ruisdael's art embraced, and have seen how universal was his genius in this direction. It remains to touch briefly on some other qualities of his art. Ruisdael never painted a hot day. He always has the sky covered with clouds, through which the sun's rays penetrate here and there, pro- ducing a definite beam of sunshine, and an effect of light and shade such as may be noticed in the work of a painter of interiors where the sunlight enters the room through a little window. The sun, as a rule, is high in the sky. Ruisdael rendered no special effects of sunrise or sunset, or of approaching darkness. Ruisdael painted the transition from summer to winter, or the reverse, 1 Unfortunately it has turned out, while this volume has been passing through the press, that the picture described under No. 60 as to the authenticity of which the author was long in doubt cannot after careful examination claim to be an original, and must be struck out of the list.