Aelbert Cuyp

Aelbert Cuyp (1620-1691) was a prolific artist whose career spanned the golden age of the Dutch Republic between the late 1630s and the mid-1660s. Although he is best known for views of his native countryside, Cuyp also painted portraits and mythological scenes. His use of Italianate atmospheric effects in portraying his native Dutch landscape distinguishes his art from that of his contemporaries. This detailed film examines Cuyp's early influences, his style and his remarkable use of light. It also explores how Cuyp's Arcadian landscapes and light-filled pastoral scenes reflected contemporary Dutch prosperity, so ensuring their popularity among his Dordrecht patrons.