17th century Dutch School oil landscape with a farmhouse and animals

17th century Dutch School oil landscape with a farmhouse and animals
Dutch, 1663
Panel: Height 27cm, width 30cm
Frame: Height 43cm, width 46cm, depth 4cm
 
This 17th-century Dutch School painting is by Hendrick Bloemaert (Utrecht c.1601–1672), eldest son of Abraham Bloemaert and an accomplished member of the Utrecht Caravaggisti. Hendrick’s career unfolded within one of the most influential artistic families of the northern Netherlands. After a period in Rome in 1626, he returned to Utrecht by 1631, joining the Guild of St. Luke and developing a practice that encompassed portraiture, allegory, and refined narrative subjects. Although later biographers—Houbraken among them—claimed he never equalled his father, Hendrick’s surviving work reveals an artist of distinct temperament, attentive to structure, atmosphere and the quiet drama of daily life.
 
That sensibility aligns closely with the present landscape. The composition presents a modest rural setting typical of Dutch painting in the mid-1600s, where artists embraced an observational approach to familiar countryside motifs. A cluster of thatched and brick farm buildings stands at the centre, partially veiled by mature trees. In the shaded foreground, a horse and two sheep graze with unhurried calm, while a woman pauses beside a well, adding a discreet narrative moment. The palette—soft greens, warm earth tones and a pale, gently modulated sky—establishes an overall sense of harmony. Architectural elements are described with crisp, economical precision, and the surrounding foliage is handled with steady, even brushwork. Though intimate in scale, the scene is carefully structured, guiding the viewer through the clearing toward the farmhouse beyond.
 
The painting is set within a dark-stained moulded frame that complements the natural tonality of the panel.
 
On the reverse, the inscription “HB (ligated) fecit / ANO 1663” provides a firm date and corresponds well with Bloemaert’s mature period.
 
With its quiet atmosphere, measured execution and excellent condition, this painting stands as a compelling example of Dutch Golden Age landscape art and demonstrates a lesser-known facet of Hendrick Bloemaert’s oeuvre. It would enhance any thoughtful collection of early Northern European works.
 
Artist/Maker: Hendrick Bloemaert