Wooded landscape with cornfields
The landscape of Holland was a constant source of inspiration for the 17th century Dutch artist. Ruisdael is considered to be the greatest of them all. His style was tremendously influential on English landscape painters of the early 19th century. This painting is one of the artist's earlier landscapes and is lighter in mood than his darker, more sombre, late paintings. Typical of Ruisdael and his contemporaries, the people here are of secondary significance. Dominating the landscape are the trees, each invested with their own character. It is said that Ruisdael never painted a sunny day. This picture is as close as he ever came to showing bright sunlight.
