Landscape with a View of the Valkhof, Nijmegen

This tranquil scene bathed in golden light is typical of Cuyp's mature landscapes. It shows Valkhof Palace in the Dutch city of Nijmegen, on the Rhine. Associated with the Batavians, whom the Dutch believed were their ancestors, and their resistance to invaders, the Valkhof came to symbolise the courage and bravery of the nascent Dutch Republic in its struggle against Spain. The palace itself was built by Emperor Charlemagne on Roman foundations in 777, rebuilt in 1155 by Frederick Barbarossa and demolished by French revolutionary troops in 1775. Cuyp illuminated the Valkhof with golden, Italian light to create an idealised view of this national monument.

Credit: Purchased with Art Fund suppor...