We weren’t there, were we? You might ask that question when looking at a modified version of a painting by the Dutch painter Jacob van Ruisdael.
When you look closely, something is wrong. Then it is not correct. At least, the image accompanying this post differs from the original. An explanation is therefore in order. What you just have to remember is a question that can be asked: We weren’t there, were we? We can never say with certainty that the artist would have disagreed.
Souce: Rijksmuseum.
It is undoubtedly an iconic work of art. A work of art so well known that almost everyone must have seen it at some point. The chances that you have ever seen it in real life are not even very high. It is much more likely that you have seen replicas. Think biscuit tins, mugs, tiles, tiles on tables, postcards, posters and, of course, the images in books.
Special?
The subject is not that iconic at all. Let’s be honest: what was so special about this mill? Not much, because the mill was later demolished, making it very difficult to find out exactly where the painter in question, Jacob Isaacksz van Ruisdael (1628 0f- 1629 – 14 March 1682) must have been. Little spectacular happened. Except for seeing that special “Van Ruisdaell sky”. Those are those special clouds. Clouds that you can still sometimes see today and still think, “Ah, that’s a Van Ruisdael sky now.” Usually it is a harbinger of little good, by the way. Rain.
Yet this work is among the highlights of Dutch painting. Like all those other paintings, it is a consequence of what the artist had in mind. Since Van Ruisdael has not been with us for some time, we can no longer ask him. We cannot ask him what he would have thought if five windmills were suddenly visible in his painting. Is such a thing illogical? Not at all. Let’s face it, didn’t you stumble across mills in days gone by? Those things were used for all sorts of things. For grinding grain, pumping out areas that were too wet. Talking about that…
Original image: Rijksmuseum.
There could also have been flooding. Not a big one. Just a small flood, visibly changing the front part of the painting. Which might have caused it to get a little busier on the quay along the water. Perhaps this also had to do with the two boats docking, rather than the one boat.
Photoshop
Maybe… who knows? In any case, it is the result of about eight hours of labour in Photoshop, after adjusting the image “The Mill at Wijk bij Duurstede” by Jacob Israelsz van Ruisdael. This painting is in the public domain, so adjustments may be made. If you want to make your adjustments, you can. Only you have to be careful which images or paintings you modify. Make sure you do this for ‘free’ images.
Observant visitors will have noticed that something is well wrong with the image used for the History category for this website. An explanation is in order. Only, what not to forget: We weren’t there, were we? We can never say for sure that the artist might not have agreed.
View of Haarlem...
There is another way and that is …. well, judge for yourself…
Source: Rijksmuseum.
