During the Baroque period in the Netherlands, panoramic views of recognizable landscapes became popular. In Jacob van Ruisdael’s View of Haarlem with Bleaching Grounds, the city is identifiable through the steeples of distant churches, particularly the famous Grote Kerk. Although the sky takes up about three-fourths of the painting, the view of the distant city is still a large element of the piece, as well as the more pastoral setting in the foreground. To me, this scene seemed almost patriotic, showcasing the grandiose scale of Grote Kerk, as well as taking pride in Haarlem’s linen-bleaching, of both foreign and local textiles.
The powerpoint also included Willem Claesz Heda’s Still Life with Oysters, a Roemer, a Lemon, and a Silver Bowl. I absolutely loved how the monochromatic color scheme of this piece allows for the reflections to truly shine. Heda was particularly fascinated with textures, and this can clearly be seen through the variety of surfaces in this painting– the roughness of the lemon peel, the shininess of metal and glass, the water. The unbalanced composition of this still life, as well as the implications of a hasty departure (the half-peeled lemon and the toppled glasses) solidify this piece as a vanitas.