Ice Skaters
Medium
oil on panel
Dimensions
25; 42.3; 6.5
About this artwork
D. Franken Bequest, Le Vésinet
Art Historical Context
Adriaen Pietersz de Venne's *Ice Skaters* (1625), an oil on panel measuring just 25 x 42.3 cm, a quintessential slice of Dutch Golden Age. This intimate work, now housed in the Rijks thanks to the D. Franken Bequest Le Vésinet, figures gliding across a frozen waterway—a common sight in the Netherlands during the Little Ice Age when harsh winters turned canals into natural ice rinks. Van de V, a versatile artist from the Delft school known for his detailed genre scenes and satirical touches, blends realism with subtle moral commentary, often highlighting everyday joys and social hierarchies. P...