Mountain Village by Water

This intriguing landscape including Nordic and Dutch elements reflects Allart van Everdingen’s Scandinavian training. Showcasing rocky cliffs foreign to the flat Dutch landscape, Nordic views became increasingly popular in the second half of the seventeenth century. One fascinating aspect of this particular painting is the visibility of its underdrawings (pentimenti) beneath the thin glazes of paint. These traces add a sense of fluidity to the composition and shed light on the artist’s creative process and technique.