Landscape with Cottages and a Hay Barn (1641)

An black and white etching showing a rural dwelling in the foreground; in the background, we can see a city to the left and a large house to the right.
Rembrandt van Rijn (1606-1669), Landscape with Cottages and a Hay Barn, 1641. Image, National Gallery of Ireland. Purchased, 2023.

An exquisite print by Rembrandt van Rijn is now part of our collection. 

In this exquisite print, the first by Rembrandt to enter the collection, the artist presents three contrasting dwellings – a rich city on the left, a wealthy manor house on the right, and a humble rural dwelling in the centre. Although realistic, the scene is undoubtedly a work of Rembrandt’s imagination, created in his studio from various motifs observed in the surrounding countryside. The city in the distance at left is Amsterdam, while the ruins probably belong to the Kostverloren estate, which Rembrandt drew several times. This is undoubtedly an early impression, in which Rembrandt’s play with light and shade in the foreground is beautifully realised.

 

A detail from an etching by Rembrandt showing city on the horizon. To the right, a modest rural dwelling is visible, including the wheel of a cart.
A detail from an etching by Rembrandt showing a large house on the horizon. In the foreground a figure stands by a body of water surrounded by grass and vegetation.

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