Accession Number2000/2.2
TitleView of the Fortifications at Gennep on the Maas River
Artist(s)Salomon van RuysdaelObject Creation Date1665Medium & Supportoil on canvasDimensions 22 9/16 in x 34 7/16 in (57.31 cm x 87.47 cm);29 ¾ in x 41 ⅝ in (75.57 cm x 105.73 cm);22 9/16 in x 34 7/16 in (57.31 cm x 87.47 cm)
Credit LineMuseum purchase in honor of Charles H. Sawyer made possible by the W. Hawkins Ferry FundSubject matterThis landscape depicts the fort overlooking the Maas River at Gennep, a town of strategic military importance in the southeastern the Netherlands. The painting commemorates the recapture of Gennep by the Dutch from the Spanish armies in 1641 during the Eighty Years' War (1568-1648) in which the Dutch won their independence from Spain. From the battlements of the fort waves an orange flag, a reference to the House of Orange whose members were instrumental in the formation of the Dutch Republic.
Physical DescriptionThe low horizon used in this landscape painting creates a sense of expansive sky and flat terrain, which is divided equally between river and land. Figures and animals engage in variety of activities on the riverbank and in boats, including fishing and ferrying cargo and animals. Silhouetted against the vast sky stands a fortress on a spur of land with an orange flag flying from its tower. The opposite bank is visible in the distance as a dark broken line across the shining stretch of water.
Primary Object Classification Painting Primary Object TypelandscapeCollection AreaWesternRightsIf you are interested in using an image for a publication, please visit
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Keywords
boats
cows (mammals)
fortresses
landscapes (representations)
oil paintings (visual works)