Los Angeles, Getty Museum: »On Thin Ice«

The Little Ice Age in art

The Getty Museum in Los Angeles is opening a special exhibition of Dutch painting on May 28: early modern depictions of extremely cold weather. The paintings bear witness to the so-called Little Ice Age, which was particularly noticeable in the 17th century.

May 28, 2024
A Winter Scene with Two Gentlemen Playing Colf, about 1615-1620, Hendrick Avercamp (Dutch, 1585-1634)
Getty Museum, 2008.13
A Winter Scene with Two Gentlemen Playing Colf, about 1615-1620, Hendrick Avercamp (Dutch, 1585-1634), Pen and brown ink and translucent and opaque watercolor

Frozen canals, masses of snow and people trying to cope with the situation as best they could: extreme weather conditions were a major theme of the Golden Age of Dutch painting in the 17th century. Particularly harsh winters and cool summers characterized life in Europe for decades. The Little Ice Age, as it is known in modern research, was the reason for unusual pictorial content that was only painted at this time. These include, in particular, Hendrick Avercamp's (1585-1634) drawings and paintings of skaters and golfers. The Getty Museum in Los Angeles is now devoting an exhibition to this particular theme of art history: On Thin Ice: Dutch Depictions of Extreme Weather runs from May 28 to September 1 and features exhibits by numerous well-known painters of the early modern period.

The painting below by Hendrik Meijer (1744-1793) was created towards the end of the Little Ice Age. It shows the pleasures of winter, but above all the hard struggle for survival. Here, art becomes a symbol of the uncertainties of life. Also on display are Jan Berents (circa 1679-after 1733), Jan van de Velde (1568-1623), David Vinckboons (1576-1632) and Gerrit Battem (circa 1636-1684).Art.Salon

A Winter Scene, 1787, Hendrik Meyer (Dutch, 1744-1793)
Getty Museum, 2004.46.2
A Winter Scene, 1787, Hendrik Meyer (Dutch, 1744-1793), Pen and brown ink and opaque watercolor, with selectively applied glaze

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