KOLLER VIEW 01/26

pre view. 02 3 Salomon van Ruysdael and Jan van Goyen, two of the most important Dutch landscape painters of the 17 th century, meet in our Old Masters auction. Their motifs are similar, yet their artistic signatures differ in subtle ways. Their treatment of colour is markedly distinct. Van Goyen, with his tonal painting, emphasises the expressive character of the river landscape, while Ruysdael works in richer and more sensuous colour. Van Goyen depicts the everyday; Ruysdael idealises the landscape. The painting by Salomon van Ruysdael offered here comes from the collection of the Scottish Earl of Stair and exemplifies the mastery of this formative 17 th -cen- tury landscape painter. Rediscovered in a Swiss pri- vate collection, the work belongs to his mature peri- od. Whereas Ruysdael’s early works were painted in a restrained brown palette, his later pictures became more colourful and clearly defined. Born Salomon de Goyer in Naarden, he later adopted — like his brother Isaack — the name of the nearby castle Ruijschdaal. Little is known of his training. In 1623 he joined the Haarlem Guild of St Luke. Although he remained in Haarlem throughout his life, his land- scapes testify to extensive travels throughout the Netherlands. His paintings radiate calm and harmony, presenting an idealised world in which nature appears Two artists, two signatures Preview of the OldMaster Paintings auction on 27March 2026 1 Salomon van Ruysdael (1600–1670). River landscape with sailing boats. Oil on panel. 39.9 × 55.8 cm. Estimate: CHF 300 000/500 000 2 Jan van Goyen (1596–1656). Harbour scene with Dordrecht in the background. 1655. Oil on panel. 47.4 × 62.1 cm. Estimate: CHF 200 000/350 000 For further information Old Master Paintings Karoline Weser weser@kollerauctions.com Online Catalogues www.kollerauctions.com in perfect order. This timeless quality also characteris- es the present work. Jan van Goyen’s view of Dordrecht on the distant hori- zon is among the most impressive late works by this founder of tonal landscape painting. Dated 1655, it shows the artist at the height of his powers. With a re- duced palette of browns, greys and blues, van Goyen creates a dense atmospheric effect. His characteristic monochromy shifts attention from detail to the whole, lending the landscape a modern, almost abstract clar- ity. In this conscious departure from naturalism, van Goyen reveals his innovative understanding of land- scape as a vehicle for atmosphere. 1 2