The Avenue at Middelharnis

A closer look

The composition is daringly simple and symmetrical: the avenue runs straight into the distance, its trees forming a tall, airy V against a wide, cloudy sky. On the right a man prunes young trees in a nursery; on the left, a farm and a canal; ahead, the church tower of the village. Hobbema recorded a real place, where the trees had been planted a few decades earlier on reclaimed land. The perspective drawing the eye down the road gives the picture its powerful sense of depth and calm.