Lot 2075 Dα

This imposing landscape painting with a gnarled old oak on the left and a tranquil body of water on the right is a characteristic, mature work by the Haarlem painter Jacob Salomonsz van Ruysdael - a son of Salomon and cousin of the more famous Isaacksz van Ruysdael. Unmistakable in Jacob Salomonsz's landscapes are the strong, sprawling trees that dominate his compositions and the dark undergrowth in which he often depicts animals grazing. Watering places for cattle are also rarely absent. In contrast, on the right side of our painting, the view opens into the distance, revealing a blue sky dotted with white clouds.
Cleaning the picture would bring out the picturesque qualities of this magnificent Dutch landscape much better.