Winter landscape with figures skating on a frozen body of water in a roundel composition; a church and trees in the foreground; a bridge, churches, and windmills beyond

Art Historical Context

This enchanting etching captures a quintessential Dutch winter scene from the Golden Age, circa 1625–60. Attributed to landscape painter Matthijs van Plberg, with Jean Morin likely responsible for the printmaking, it depicts skaters gliding joyfully on a frozen waterway within a distinctive roundel—a circular composition that draws the eye inward like asted windowpane. In the foreground, a church and bare trees frame the action, while beyond a bridge, distant churches, and windmills evoke the flat, watery expanses of the Netherlands. Winter landscapes like this were immensely popular in 17th-century Holland, reflecting both the harsh realities of long, icy seasons and the simple pleasures of everyday life. Skating, a national pastime, symbolized resilience and community amid the elements, often infused with subtle moral or allegorical undertones in Dutch art. Plattenberg's style aligns with the realistic yet atmospheric landscapes of contemporaries like Esaias van de Velde, emphasizing crisp details and atmospheric depth. As an etching, this intimate print (just 6 x 5 5/8 inches) showcases the medium's virtuosity: Morin's needle incised fluid lines into a copper plate, yielding rich tonal contrasts perfect for evoking snow's sparkle and ice's sheen. Donated to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in 2011, it invites visitors to savor the ingenuity of Dutch print culture, where affordable etchings brought high art into homes across Europe.

About the Artist

Matthijs van Plattenberg|Jean Morin (French|Flemish) · 1605 |1600 –1650 |1660

French, Paris ca. 1605–1650 Paris|Flemish, Antwerp ca. 1608–1660 Paris