Mountainous Landscape with Castles and Waterfalls
c. 1606
Medium
black, ocher, red, and blue chalks, with traces of white heightening on gray-green laid paper
Dimensions
overall: 35.5 x 49.4 cm (14 x 19 7/16 in.)
Classification
Drawing
Department
CG-E
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Woodner Collection, Gift of Dian Woodner
Accession Number
2011.42.2
Art Historical Context
Roelandt Savery’s *Mountainous Landscape with Castles and Waterfalls*, created around 1606, invites viewers into a dramatic scene where rugged peaks, cascading waters, and fortified castles coexist in harmonious tension. This drawing reflects the early seventeenth-century fascination with nature’s grandeur, blending untamed wilderness with signs of human presence. Executed in black, ocher, red, and blue chalks with touches of white heightening on gray-green laid paper, the work demonstrates Savery’s mastery of colored media. The varied chalks allow subtle tonal shifts that bring depth to the ...
About the Artist
Roelandt Savery · 1576–1639
Comment on works: Mythology; Landscapes; Animals; Flowers