Skating Near a Town, Hendrick Avercamp (1610/1620)
The bare tree silhouetted against the lighter background enhances the wintry chill of this picture. This artist was the first to specialize in the winter panorama, scenes he depicted with satisfying and interesting detail. Hendrick Avercamp was an astute observer of people, carefully recording gestures and activities to lend a sense of everyday life to his subjects. He sometimes repeated the same figures in subsequent paintings without losing the individuality of the people engaged in their daily tasks.
