Aelbert Cuyp was one of the foremost Dutch painters and draftsmen of the seventeenth century. His prolific artistic career spanned the years between 1640 and 1665, the Golden Age of Dutch painting, and his idyllic views of the Dutch countryside have entranced collectors and connoisseurs ever since.
Although particularly renowned for his pastoral scenes, Cuyp also painted portraits, biblical scenes and majestic views of Dutch harbours. It is Cuyp's unique combination of Italianate atmospheric effects and native Dutch landscape that distinguishes his art from that of any of his contemporaries.
Forty-five of Cuyp's most distinguished paintings and sixty-four drawings are reproduced here in brilliant colour, accompanied by more than one hundred comparative illustrations. Their appeal lies not only in the subject matter but also in their distinctive style, for Cuyp infused his Arcadian subjects and river views with a sensitivity to light and a clarity of form that is firmly grounded in reality.
Published to accompany an international touring exhibition, the book features perceptive essays by an international team of curators and scholars that discuss Cuyp's work in the context of his time, personal background, artistic development, patrons, use of costume and artistic techniques.