Jan Peeters, The Frozen Scheldt in Antwerp, 1670

by Atelier Liesjes

The Scheldt is littered with ice floes as far as the eye can see. On the frozen river stand tents and canvas huts; there are wooden walkways and bridges across the ice; and sledge and a horse-drawn covered wagon are travelling along. Tiny figures in short jackets, hats and wide skirts glide across the ice; a dog trots ahead of the wagon; and at the bottom left, a man is pushing a sledge. On the left, the town looms into view: a tall, slender church tower, stepped gables, a heavy square gatehouse with a spire, snow on the roofs and bare trees along the quay. To the right, the wide, ice-covered river opens out towards a hazy horizon.
Hovering above it all is a vast, almost brown-black veil of cloud, through which a narrow streak of yellow light breaks on the left. That contrast between the leaden sky and the pale ice lends the scene a sense of foreboding, despite the bustle. The city itself remains a dark, almost anonymous outline; only the tall tower and the stepped gables are clearly recognisable. Peeters paints in muted greys, sage green, umber and ochre, with the occasional red or blue accent in the figures’ clothing. It is a winter scene in the tradition of Dutch and Flemish ‘ice views’, in which the harsh season primarily provides an opportunity for socialising, trade and entertainment, and the city by the river displays its prosperity.
Jan Peeters (Antwerp 1624 – Antwerp 1678) was the younger brother of Bonaventura and Gillis Peeters. He became a master of the Antwerp Guild of Saint Luke in 1654, painted mainly seascapes and harbour views, and also produced drawings for printmakers. His work is recognisable by the heavy, layered cloud formations. In the seventeenth century, Antwerp was one of the busiest trading cities in Europe, which explains the hustle and bustle on the frozen river. This cityscape depicting the frozen river is an atmospheric piece for a winter room or a collection of Flemish Baroque art.