Jan van Goyen (1596-1656), Jan van Goyen (1596-1656) - attributed. River landscape with boats in the moonlight

Oil on wood, 70 × 65.5cm

Illegible monogram and dated 1640
The picture shows two boats on the water, one of which is moored on a headland on a wide river in Holland. The crew is partially ashore, where the men have lit a fire under a cauldron. A second source of light next to the fire is the moon at the top left, which shines through between the partly illuminated, partly dark clouds. The dark blue sky with dramatic clouds takes up more than two thirds of the picture area, evoking the vastness of the Dutch landscape. The fire, the men and the boats are reflected in the dark water surface in the foreground. In the distance you can see the top of a church tower on the horizon and other boats on the water. The composition impresses with the carefully calculated distribution of the individual motifs. Illegible monogram and dated 1640. Oil on wood, 70 × 65.5cm