LEYTENS, Gysbrecht

The painter of this panel was formerly known as the Master of the Winter Landscapes.

The present winter landscape by Leytens is animated with villagers.

This painting depicts a winter landscape with people strolling on the banks of a frozen river where children play. The finely and meticulously executed winter landscape could be compared to lace. A master of frost, Gysbrecht Leytens offers us dazzling proof of his talent.

With artists such as Brueghel and Grimmer, but also Denijs van Alsloot and van Heil, the winter landscape became one of the choice subjects of Flemish painting. This taste naturally passed into Dutch painting, as can be seen in the magnificent winter landscapes by Avercamp, van der Neer and Verstralen.

The Antwerp painter Gysbrecht Leytens was a specialist of winter landscapes. These winter landscapes, sometimes with figures by Frans Francken II or Sebastian Vrancx, are always dominated by one or more large, leafless trees, covered with frost or snow, with impressive bare crowns of fantastically twisted branches. The painter combines this dominant motif with tunnel-like vistas.