Jacob van Ruisdael, a master of the Dutch Golden Age of painting, created an iconic oil on canvas work titled “Bentheim Castle” in 1653. This piece is part of a larger series of more than fifteen landscapes that feature the ancient fortress of Bentheim Castle, a subject that clearly captivated Ruisdael’s artistic imagination.
The painting, which measures 110.5 x 144 cm, is housed in the National Gallery of Ireland in Dublin and is considered one of the most impressive depictions of the castle among Ruisdael’s works. It is known as the Dublin version to distinguish it from his other similar works. In this particular painting, Ruisdael exercised creative license by placing the castle atop a wooded mountain, despite the fact that the actual structure is situated on a low hill. This artistic choice highlights Ruisdael’s ability to blend high realism with imaginative composition, creating landscapes that are more interpretive than exact replicas of the real world.
Ruisdael’s life intersected with his art in interesting ways. Around 1670, he lived above the shop of Amsterdam art and book dealer Hieronymous Sweerts, just off the Dam, Amsterdam’s main public square. He passed away in 1682 and was buried in Haarlem, his birthplace, although records indicate he may have died in Amsterdam.
“Bentheim Castle” is catalogued as number 15 in Seymour Slive’s 2001 catalogue raisonné of Ruisdael’s work. Other versions of Bentheim Castle paintings by Ruisdael are also noted in Slive’s catalogue, including those held at the Rijksmuseum, Augsburg, and London, each with their respective catalogue numbers.
Ruisdael’s legacy is preserved not only through his paintings but also through comprehensive bibliographic works such as those by Seymour Slive and Hendrik Richard Hoetink, which provide detailed accounts of his oeuvre. The Wikipedia page dedicated to “Bentheim Castle” offers insights into the painting’s significance and its place within Ruisdael’s body of work, reflecting the enduring interest in this artist’s contribution to landscape painting.
