Hendrik van der Straaten
Hendrik van der Straaten was a landscape artist active between 1665 and 1685. His work, documented primarily through drawings, focuses on two key genres popular in the late 17th century: the idealized pastoral vista and the domestic winter scene.
Five drawings are currently held in major public collections, establishing Van der Straaten’s focus on detailed atmospheric renderings. Four of these works fall under the style of Italianate Landscape, depicting rustic, idealized settings populated by herders, cattle, and sheep. These include the compositions Italianate Landscape with Herder and his Cattle and Sheep at a Fountain, Italianate Landscape with a Stone Bridge, Italianate River Landscape with Mountains and a Gate Tower, and Rocky River Landscape with a Herder with his Cattle and Sheep. The fifth work, Skaters Outside a City Wall, provides a counterpoint, illustrating a specific European winter activity.
The significance of Van der Straaten is established by the presence of his drawings in institutional collections, including the Rijksmuseum and the National Gallery of Art. The preservation of these works in respected institutions ensures that museum-quality images of Hendrik van der Straaten prints and originals are available for academic study. As works from this period often enter the public domain, these drawings are vital resources for understanding 17th-century landscape conventions.
