Sandbank with Travellers

A lean dog’s curiosity is drawn in the direction of a gnarled tree trunk and a tilting stile in the foreground of this dune landscape. Atop the craggy sandbank sits a simple dwelling, the chimney stack and thatched roof just visible over the ridge. At the base of the bank sits a figure in sand-coloured clothes and a wide brimmed hat. Leaning forward, with their walking stick placed to one side, they are perhaps catching their breath before continuing their journey on foot. A horse trots past carrying a rider who sports a feathered hat and a sword. They are about to encounter another figure on the path ahead. This glimpse of a distant citadel on the hazy horizon beyond gives a sense of how far these travellers must have come, and how far they have yet to go.

The artist Pieter Wouwerman (1623-82) lived and worked in the Netherlandish city of Haarlem, and would have known the nearby sand dunes and coastline well. Comparable dune landscapes were also produced by Pieter’s acclaimed older brother, Philips Wouwerman (1619-68).