A Landscape with a Ruined Castle and a Church
- Artist: Jacob van Ruisdael
- Date: about 1665-70
- Medium: oil on canvas
- Museum: The National Gallery
- Collection record: The National Gallery website
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About this artwork
This is "A Landscape with a Ruined Castle and a Church" painted by Jacob van Ruisdael around 1665-70. The painting is a bigger version of one of his most famous works, and it's easy to see why - the grandeur he's managed to create is just as impressive as its size.
Notice how the sky takes up about two thirds of the painting, giving you a sense of space and depth. But what really draws your eye in are the structural devices van Ruisdael used to lead us into the landscape. The shepherds standing closest to us on the left foreground help us understand just how big this scene is meant to be.
And look at how the sunlight catches them, creating highlights that add to the sense of depth and make you want to follow the winding path further into the painting. Van Ruisdael was a master of using light to create atmosphere and mood - and here it's used to reinforce both the grandeur and the sense of history.
Now, this landscape is an idealised view, not based on any real place. It's meant to evoke ideas about what Holland should look like, with its productive nature represented by shepherds, corn, and a windmill, and a sense of history provided by that ruined castle in the background. The church dominating the horizon was a symbol of eternal certainty - something that would have resonated deeply with van Ruisdael's customers.
As we stand here looking at this painting, it's hard not to be struck by its grandeur, its sense of depth and space. It's truly a masterpiece of Dutch landscape painting from the 17th century.
See it in person
A Landscape with a Ruined Castle and a Church hangs in The National Gallery on Trafalgar Square, London — free to enter. Point your phone at any artwork there and audioguide.london plays a free audio guide in six languages — no app download needed.
