Get a reproduction of Riverlandscape with Women Fortune-Telling, Arent Arentsz, c. 1625 - c. 1630

Artwork Description

In this painting, which is quite large by Arentsz’s standards, a group of gypsy women have pitched their tents on a riverbank outside a town. One of them is reading the palm of a fisherboy on the right, an elderly woman is paying the one in the middle, and in the tent on the left is a woman with a baby and two children. The gypsies are set apart by their long hair, dark complexion and long dresses, and in the case of the one in the centre, a blanket. There is another, but smaller version of this painting,6 in which the gypsy sitting to the right of the tent is missing and the two groups in the centre of the composition have changed places. In terms of the palette, the structuring of the composition with a broad view of a river in the background, and the draughtsman-like execution, this work fits in with the Rijksmuseum’s other paintings by Arentsz from the period c. 1625-30. The motif of the duck pen in the left middleground, in which a swimming dog is chasing the ducks, is also found in a painting by Arentsz in Paris.7 The building in the right background is the Haarlem Gate in Amsterdam, which was built by Hendrick de Keyser in 1616-17. Here it appears to have been used more as an isolated motif rather than to define a location.8 Gypsies, also known as Egyptians (after their supposed land of origin) and heathens, were regarded as antisocial because of their nomadic lifestyle, and were repeatedly getting into trouble with the authorities for begging, vagrancy, theft and swindling people out of money for reading palms and predicting the future.9 Roaming gypsies foretelling the future to ordinary citizens were a recurrent theme in Dutch and French prints, drawings and paintings from the beginning of the 17th century.10 Gypsies are also depicted a few times in the work of Hendrick Avercamp. A gypsy woman reads a peasant woman’s hand in the foreground of his Winter Scene on a Frozen Canal of c. 1620 in Los Angeles,11 and camping and fortune-telling gypsies also feature in two drawings.12 The financial accounts of Kampen record that gypsies (‘the heathens’) were expelled from the town in 1625.13 Jan Piet Filedt Kok, 2007 See Bibliography and Rijksmuseum painting catalogues See Key to abbreviations and Acknowledgements This entry was published in J. Bikker (ed.), Dutch Paintings of the Seventeenth Century in the Rijksmuseum Amsterdam, I: Artists Born between 1570 and 1600, coll. cat. Amsterdam 2007, no. 7.

Related Artworks

Artist Biography

Arent Arentsz Cabel: Painter of Tranquil Landscapes

Arent Arentsz, commonly known as cabel (born circa 1585 in Amsterdam; died August 18, 1631, Amsterdam), was a Dutch Golden Age landscape painter who achieved renown for his exquisitely rendered depictions of summer and winter vistas—primarily focused on scenes of hunting and fishing. Though relatively obscure compared to contemporaries like Rembrandt or Vermeer, Arentsz’s work possesses a distinctive charm and reflects the artistic sensibilities of his era. His signature consisted of the monogram AA, marking him as one of the many artists active during the Dutch Republic's apex of cultural flourishing.

Early Life & Training: Little is known definitively about Arentsz’s formative years. Records indicate he was born in Amsterdam, a bustling port city and center for artistic patronage. Precise details regarding his formal training remain elusive, but it’s believed he honed his skills under the tutelage of Hendrick Avercamp, whose monumental landscapes—characterized by meticulous detail and atmospheric perspective—served as a significant stylistic influence on Arentsz’s oeuvre.
Style & Technique: Arentsz's artistic style distinguishes itself from Avercamp’s through subtle nuances. While both painters embraced the principles of topographical realism, Arentsz favored softer brushstrokes and a more luminous palette, conveying an impressionistic quality that anticipates later developments in Impressionism. He skillfully employed atmospheric perspective—the gradual blurring of distant objects—to create depth and enhance the sense of tranquility within his landscapes.

Notable Works & Artistic Achievements

Arentsz’s artistic output comprises approximately 60 paintings, predominantly executed between 1615 and 1631. Among his most celebrated pieces are “Fishermen and Farmers,” “Fishermen and Hunters,” and “Riverlandscape with Women Fortune-Telling”—all landscapes imbued with a palpable stillness and capturing the beauty of rural life. These canvases exemplify Arentsz’s mastery of composition, color harmony, and textural rendering. Remarkably, several of his paintings reside in prestigious institutions such as the Rijksmuseum Amsterdam and the National Gallery London, ensuring their enduring legacy within art history.

Influence & Legacy: Although Arentsz’s fame didn't rival that of his peers during his lifetime, he nonetheless exerted considerable influence on subsequent generations of landscape painters. His emphasis on serene beauty and atmospheric realism foreshadowed the aesthetic ideals of Romanticism.

Burial & Historical Context

Arentsz passed away in Amsterdam in 1631 and was interred in the oude kerk (Old Church), a testament to his place within the cultural fabric of his time. The Dutch Golden Age—spanning roughly from 1580 to 1700—witnessed an unprecedented surge in artistic creativity, fueled by economic prosperity and intellectual curiosity. Artists like Arentsz thrived amidst this environment, producing works that continue to captivate audiences today with their understated elegance and evocative portrayal of the natural world.

Arent Arentsz Cabel

1585 - 1631 , Netherlands

Quick Facts

Artistic Movement Or Style: Dutch Golden Age Landscape Painting
Artists Who Influenced This Artist: Hendrick Avercamp
Date Of Birth: Amsterdam, Netherlands (1585)
Date Of Death: 1631
Full Name: Arent Arentsz Cabel
Nationality: Dutch
Notable Artworks:
- Fishermen and Farmers
- Fishermen and Hunters
- Riverlandscape with Women Fortune-Telling
Place Of Birth: Amsterdam

Arent Arentsz Cabel: The Full Collection

Explore artworks organized by themes, styles, and characteristics.

Collectible Description

Artist Biography

Reproduction Frame

White $1

Blurside $1

Extended $1

P118B $10

P118H $10

P118W $10

P438Z $10

P508JH $12

P508YH $12

P805H $10

P805Z $10

P919BZ $10

P919G $10

P919XJ $10

P959ZH $10

P968JZ $12

W106C $8

W218G $10

W218JH $8

W218Y $10

W307PJ $10

W316G $10

W316PJ $8

W316Y $10

W398PJ $8

W4111J $10

W500HY $15

W500JH $15

W692G $12

W849H $8

W940BG $15

W953PJ $8

H24-GOLD $30

H24-SILVER $30

H36-GOLD $45

H36-SILVER $45

Framed

Reproduction Size

Artwork Customization

Artist Skill Level

Nameplate

Engraved Bronze Plaque Details

Transparent Acrylic Plaque Details

Black Acrylic Plaque Details

Protective Varnish

Urgent Production

Included Benefits

Free Worldwide Express Shipping

High-Quality Linen Canvas

Full Shipping Insurance

Customs Tax Refund Guarantee

True Color Matching Guarantee

60-Day Return Policy (Defects Only)

100% Money-Back Guarantee

Bulk Discount Offer

Total Price

$ 263

Summary

Reproduction Medium

-

Elite Senior Artist

-

Reproduction Frame

-

Nameplate

-

Protective Varnish

-

Customize My Artwork

-

Urgent

-

Express Shipping

Included

Total Price

$ 263

Artwork Description