Marten Ryckaert (Antwerp 1587 - Antwerp 1631)

Tree-lined avenue with a group of travellers

Marten Ryckaert (Antwerp 1587 - Antwerp 1631)

Tree-lined avenue with a group of travellers

41 x 72.5 cm (16 ¹/₈ x 28 ¹/₂ inches)
Oil on panel
17th century

DESCRIPTION +

This painting depicts a vast, vibrant landscape structured around a majestic avenue lined with large trees with powerful trunks, whose foliage forms a shady canopy. This avenue draws the eye into the distance and forms the main line of the composition. 

In the foreground, we see a group of horsemen and walkers proceeding calmly along the path. Their colourful clothing provides bright accents and brings the scene to life, while at the same time emphasising the monumental scale of the surrounding nature. On the left, the landscape opens up to green meadows where herds graze, interrupted by winding streams and small bridges, while in the distance a village dominated by a church can be seen, harmoniously integrated into the hilly landscape. 

On the right, a marshland or pond reflects the clear sky and the trees along the shore. We see ducks and people going about their daily activities, near rural houses with sloping roofs, evoking a peaceful and hard-working life. The largely cloudless sky is enlivened by a few light clouds and flying birds, accentuating the feeling of space and depth. 

Marten Ryckaert