Princes Maurice and Frederick Henry at the Valkenburg Horse Fair
Van de Venne uses the arrival of Prince Maurice and his younger brother Frederick Henry – in a carriage drawn by six grey horses – to underscore the contrast between the elegant conduct of Hague courtiers and the boorish manners of the peasants. The artist captures the atmosphere of the fair with vignettes of a singer and a woman selling fruit and vegetables whose purse is being picked.
1618
Oil on panel
SK-A-676
Image and text courtesy of Rijksmuseum, 2019
Where you'll find this
Rijksmuseum
Permanent collection