An Italian Landscape with Figures and Cattle

Not much is known about Jan Lapp, apart from the fact that he was documented as a member of the painters' guild in The Hague in 1625. His works (as in this case) often lurked beneath an attribution to Karel Du Jardin, with whose style - and Paulus Potter's - he has something in common. His work is undeniably Italianate, though whether as a result of a personal trip to Italy is unknown. The argument in favour of Lapp's having visited Italy is strongly supported by this image, with its strangely exotic mix of emerald poplars and imposing classical statuary. His figures are distinctive, also - like a more romantic Pieter van Laer. The whole has a peculiarly dream-like quality, albeit unnaturally enhanced by chemical changes in the pigment over time. The signature (on one of the antique plinths) is damaged, but the style of this landscape is consistent with Lapp's work.