Dutch Winters

The Rijksmuseum's Schiphol branch displays a selection of 17th and 19th-century works from its own collection that depict the popular theme of winter in a multifaceted and beautiful selection of artworks.

The 'Little Ice Age'

Hendrick Avercamp's winter landscapes are among the best-known images in 17th-century Dutch painting. The merriment of outdoor activities in the cold that is depicted in his paintings creates the impression that in centuries past, every winter was an extended period of Arctic temperatures - which is true in a sense: the period between approximately 1500 to 1850 is sometimes referred to as the 'Little Ice Age' due to its brutal winters and cool summers.

19th-century winters

Along with the 17th-century winter scenes by artists such as Hendrick Avercamp and Jacob van Ruisdael, the exhibition features works from the 19th-century Romantic era by Barend Koekkoek. After focusing on the realism of August Allebé and The Hague School of Anton Mauve, the exhibition rounds off with the impressionistic work of George Hendrik Breitner and Isaac Israëls dating from around the turn of the century.