Peasants fighting near a Village
c. 1646
Medium
oil on canvas
Dimensions
65.5; 8.5; 86.5
About this artwork
buitenmaat: diepte 8,5 cm (drager incl. SK-L-4525)
Art Historical Context
Philips Wouwerman’s “Peasants Fighting near a Village,” painted around 1646, captures the lively yet turbulent spirit of everyday rural life during the Dutch Golden Age. As one of the leading genre painters of his time, Wouwerman specialized in dynamic scenes that blended human activity with expansive landscapes. This oil-on-canvas work, measuring roughly 65 by 86 centimeters, exemplifies the period’s interest in realistic depictions of ordinary people, moving away from grand historical or religious subjects toward the rhythms of village existence. The composition likely centers on a spirited...
About the Artist
Philips Wouwerman
Specialized in military and hunting scenes in which horses are prominent. Son of a little known painter in Alkmaar, Paul Joosten Wouwerman. Philips died at the age of 48 reportedly as the result of an accident, having created a large number of landscapes, battle scenes and the elegant life of his time, set in castles, parties, hunting, huntsmen and prized horses.