The talent of Ruysdael was multifaceted, but in all its strength it was revealed precisely in forest landscapes. He preferred to paint them in an energetic manner and in muted, gloomy colors.
True, the picture that you see in front of you is an exception to this rule. There is no darkness inherent in other forest landscapes of the Ruysdael; it is calm and disposes of thoughtful contemplation.
In addition, the artist paid quite a lot of attention to the figures of people and animals, which is not typical of his other works. Some researchers believe that the figures in this picture were painted by Adrian van de Velde, a talented and prolific artist, who had a very short life. It is known that in the 1660s, Velde often wrote in collaboration with other artists.
However, this is only an assumption. The history of this picture remains a mystery to us. And the first mention of it refers only to 1937, when the “Forest Landscape” suddenly appeared at the auction, where it was acquired by the Barberovsky Institute.
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