HENDRICK DE MEIJER (Rotterdam c. 1620 – before 1698)
A Winter Landscape with Numerous Horse–Drawn Sleighs on the Ice
signed and dated H.D. My ... / 1662 in the lower left
oil on canvas
19 x 25 ¼ inches (49.3 x 65 cm.)
FOR THE LOVE OF ICE SKATING
Autumn is upon us. The days are getting shorter, the nights are getting cooler, but there is still quite a bit of sun to enjoy. This seems like a funny time to start thinking about the cold and grey days of winter and the world around us being frozen, but it will be here in no time. For those who do not fall into this category, it is hard to believe that there are some people who welcome the cold! The white winter wonderland that still exists in some places can be a wanted sight for many. Spending time outdoors in the fresh, crisp air gives many people energy and vitality – especially those that do winter sports, like ice skating.
Ice skating scenes were a popular subject in 17th century Holland. Many artists, including Hendrick de Meijer, depicted winter landscapes with people enjoying this seasonal past time. But you do wonder, were people really filling the ponds and lakes with activity during this time of year? It is hard to imagine, with our contained and safe man-made ice-skating rinks today, but apparently this was truly the case. Why was ice skating so popular in The Netherlands during the 17th century?
The Netherlands has a temperate maritime climate, which often resulted (in the 17th century) in cold winters with freezing temperatures. Unfortunately, this is no longer the case, but in the 1600’s winter provided ample opportunities for natural ice to form on canals, rivers, lakes, and ponds, making ice skating a readily available and accessible winter pastime. With the many canals and long waterways, freezing temperatures had economic implications and the Dutch, being practical as they are, were not going to let a little ice get in the way of their business. Frozen canals were used to transport goods by sled, which was far more effective than traditional methods, thus these ice-covered roads were filled with ice sleds and skaters carrying their goods to the next buyer. Ice skating was a quite natural activity given the geography of the country.
However, there is much more than practicality to the tradition of ice skating in Holland. The Netherlands is further north than many people realize, with Amsterdam closer than Calgary to the North Pole! This means that although they benefit from lovely long summer days, in the depths of winter it is often dark at four o’clock in most Dutch cities. During those very short days, ice skating provided an opportunity for social interaction, bringing people of all ages and social classes together. Skating on frozen canals and lakes created a sense of community and camaraderie. It was also seen as a healthy and invigorating activity, believed to have various physical and mental health benefits, keeping people active in those frigid months.
But the social aspects of ice skating didn’t stop there. Ice skating often played a central role in winter festivals and celebrations. Dutch towns and cities would organize events, races, and even winter carnivals that revolved around ice skating. A painting by the artist Nicolaas Baur, sold by us to the Rijksmuseum, also shows a famous ice-skating event in the early 1800’s. These traditions were not just limited to 17th century life. To this day, there is a close eye kept on the possibility of the canals freezing so that the country can hold the Elfstedentocht (Eleven cities tour), which is a long-distance skating event on natural ice, almost 200 km (120 mi) long. Held both as a speed skating competition and a leisure tour (with 16,000 skaters), it is the biggest ice-skating tour in the world requiring that most of the country be fully frozen!
The understanding of ice skating as a long-held practicality and social tradition also explains why so many of the Dutch artists were creating these charming works. These scenes not only provided artists with the opportunity to showcase their skill in rendering but offered them the chance to deliver visual enjoyment to their clients. Lively scenes of fun and commerce, with a variety of social groups enjoying time together also promoted a sense of comradery during the depths of winter and helped to keep the continuity of the social fabric within the towns and cities. We may see these paintings as enchanting and amusing, but there was much more to them, than that. They were used to remind each other how important it was to spend social time with your neighbors, throughout the entire year. There are always lessons to be learned from the past. The importance of community is probably one of them.
October 4, 2023
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