Landscape with the Ruins of the Castle of Egmond

1650–55

The deteriorating Castle of Egmond was a visible reminder of the Dutch struggle for independence: it was sacrificially destroyed during the revolt against Spain more than 80 years before Jacob van Ruisdael produced this painting. Landscape specialists like Van Ruisdael invoked Dutch patriotism by selecting sites representative of the republic, including ruins, windmills, and city views.

Public domain · CC0
Free to download and reuse. Image courtesy of Art Institute of Chicago.

Artist

Jacob van Ruisdael (Dutch, 1628/29-1682)

Date

1650–55

Medium

Oil on canvas

Dimensions

98 × 130 cm (38 7/8 × 51 3/8 in.); Framed: 101 × 131.5 × 8.6 cm (39 3/4 × 51 3/4 × 3 3/8 in.)

Origin

Holland

Collection

Art Institute of Chicago

Credit

Potter Palmer Collection