Jan Baptiste De Jonghe, Landscape in the Ardennes

by Atelier Liesjes

From a high slope, the viewer looks out over a wide valley. A sandy track winds its way down between low bushes and boulders; on the track stand two horses, one brown and one white, alongside a rider and a figure sitting on the ground, resting. Low bushes line the road, with the occasional large stone. To the right, a flock of sheep grazes on a gorse-covered slope, with a shepherd walking amongst them. The sheep are rendered with small, light brushstrokes, almost like dots against the greenery. To the left and right, the view is framed by tall oaks with dark-green foliage; a bare, dead branch juts out from the left-hand tree. In the distance, the landscape fades into a pale yellow, misty expanse beneath a low horizon. Hanging above it all is a mighty sky full of clouds: heavy, dark-grey clouds at the top and a row of bright white cumulus clouds illuminated by the sun. The colour palette is natural: olive green, ochre, sandy yellow, grey-blue and creamy white. The depiction is precise yet expansive; the style is romantic-realistic, akin to nineteenth-century landscape painting, in which the landscape is not merely described but is also imbued with a mood. The valley appears fertile and tranquil; the road invites one to take a stroll. The light is soft and comes from behind, turning the trees into dark silhouettes. Jan Baptiste De Jonghe (Kortrijk 1785 – Antwerp 1844) was a Belgian landscape painter and lithographer. He worked in the tradition of seventeenth-century Dutch landscape art and the Romantic landscapes of his time, focusing on trees, water and cloudy skies. His landscapes, featuring imposing trees and expansive skies, are among his best-known works. They are characterised by a meticulous composition and a clear, natural light. A spacious, tranquil piece for a living room with plenty of natural light.