A Frozen Canal near the River Maas

Andreas Schelfhout

1867

oil on canvas

Rijksmuseum

A winter scene depicts people ice skating and traveling by horse-drawn sleigh on a frozen canal, with bare trees and snow-covered banks lining the waterway. Several buildings and a forest are visible in the background. This winter landscape presents a typically Dutch river scene: a panoramic, tranquil world almost devoid of colour. The activity on the ice creates a cheerful accent. Schelfhout specialized in this genre. His frozen winter scenes, which allude to the 17th century, were extremely popular. They were even called ‘little Schelfhouts’.