An artwork on Galleree from The Art Institute of Chicago.
About the artwork
Landscape with Tournament and HuntersJan van Scorel (Netherlandish, 1495-1562)
1519–20
Netherlands
57.8 × 138.5 cm (22 3/4 × 54 9/16 in.); Framed: 72.4 × 152.1 × 9.6 cm (28 1/2 × 59 7/8 × 3 3/4 in.)
Oil on panel
George F. Harding Collection
['16th Century']
['landscapes', 'animals', 'castles', 'clouds', 'figures', 'hunter', 'knights', 'men', 'mountain', 'soldiers', 'trees', 'women']
['painting', 'oil on panel', 'paint', 'european painting']
['oil paint (paint)', 'organic material', 'panel (wood)']
['oil painting', 'painting', 'painting (image making)', 'painting techniques', 'panel painting']
Dutch painter Jan van Scorel was one of the first Northern European artists to make an extended trip to Italy to study antiquities and the new Renaissance style. This landscape must have been made during his stay in southern Europe as a young artist; the panel is made from poplar, a wood commonly used in Italy. The two aristocratic pastimes depicted, jousting and hunting, were frequent themes of Northern European landscapes, particularly in prints, and Italian patrons were drawn to these extravagant visions of courtly pursuits.
| attributed to Art Institute of Chicago under CC-By license
In the warm embrace of the Italian sun, young Jan van Scorel found himself wandering through the rich tapestry of a foreign land, far from the familiar shores of his Dutch homeland. Here, among the rolling hills and azure skies, he was not just a painter; he was a seeker—an eager artist with a fervent longing to absorb the beauty and knowledge of the Renaissance.
His eyes flickered across the vibrant scenes around him, and he grasped his brush, poised to capture the essence of this remarkable world. The panel before him was a testament to his journey, crafted from poplar wood—common in Italy yet rich with potential, much like the artist himself.
In this landscape, the air buzzed with the thrill of aristocratic traditions. On one side, knights suited in armor charged forward in jousting competitions, their lances glinting under the sun, as if to challenge both one another and fate itself. On the other, a hunting scene unfolded—a ballet of nobility and nature where the chase blurred the lines between elegance and instinct.
These themes of jousting and hunting were not mere idle pastimes; they held the spirit of Northern European landscapes, often reflected in prints that captured the heart-nurturing tales of bravery and camaraderie. In this vibrant East-meets-West confluence, Italian patrons would gaze upon these extravagant depictions, mesmerized by the radiant visions of courtly pursuits that spoke to both their worldly aspirations and their noble desires.
Jan van Scorel’s work became a bridge across cultures—a canvas where the refined sporting life of the north danced mingling with the historical charm of the south. In an era where art served as a vessel for storytelling, his masterpiece whispered tales of adventure and honor, inviting onlookers to step into a world where the past and present exchanged knowing glances, and artistry unfurled like a story yet to be fully told.
About the artist
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