Book Description
No old master or modern artist begins to match the variety of landscapes Jacob van Ruisdael (1628/9–1682) depicted during the course of his career, nor his grandeur of conception and skill in portraying natural phenomena. His themes span identifiable towns, cities, and castles; rural scenes, both cultivated and wild; seascapes and shore scenes; rivers, bridges, and sluices; rushing torrents and Scandinavian waterfalls.
In this beautifully illustrated book, Seymour Slive demonstrates Ruisdael’s unrivaled range and quality through a vivid evocation of his career not only as a painter, but also as a draftsman and etcher. Slive discusses the artist’s clientele, early collectors and critics, as well as his influence on another preeminent landscapist, John Constable.


About the Author
Seymour Slive is Gleason Professor of Fine Arts emeritus at Harvard University and former Director of the Harvard University Art Museums. His numerous publications include Dutch Painting, 1600–1800 and Jacob van Ruisdael: A Complete Catalogue of the Paintings, Drawings, and Prints, both published by Yale University Press.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

No old master or modern artist begins to match the variety of landscapes Jacob van Ruisdael (1628/9-1682) depicted during the course of his career, nor his grandeur of conception and skill in portraying natural phenomena. His themes span identifiable towns, cities, and castles; rural scenes, both cultivated and wild; seascapes and shore scenes; rivers, bridges, and sluices; rushing torrents and Scandinavian waterfalls.