The Threatened Swan
c. 1650
Medium
oil on canvas
Dimensions
h 144cm × w 171cm
Classification
painting
Museum
Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam
About this artwork
With its wings stretched and its neck poised, the swan protects her eggs against a dog swimming nearby. Showing the scene from a low angle emphasises the bird’s power. The inscriptions are a later addition and have a political message. They refer to the Dutch political leader Johan de Witt, who defended the Dutch state against its many enemies.
About the Artist
Jan Asselijn · 1610–1652
Jan Asselijn (c. 1610–1652), born Jean Asselin in Dieppe, France, to a Huguenot family, emerged as a leading figure in Dutch Golden Age landscape painting. His family relocated to Amsterdam around 1621, where he began his artistic training. He received instruction from Esaias van de Velde, a pioneering realist landscapist, and later studied with Jan Martszen the Younger, Esaias's nephew, producing...