The Skaters c.1680-90
Peter Bout (Flemish, 1658-1719)
These winter scenes remind us that the Dutch have been skating for hundreds of years, perhaps accounting for their persistent excellence in long-track speed skating. One can see the many games they played, not unlike those of today, that made the darkness of the 51st parallel tolerable. Together with the nearby images of the months of the year and the seasons, these etchings speak to the Dutch experience of the Little Ica Age of the 17th century.
The Skaters c.1680-90
Peter Bout (Flemish, 1658-1719)
These winter scenes remind us that the Dutch have been skating for hundreds of years, perhaps accounting for their persistent excellence in long-track speed skating. One can see the many games they played, not unlike those of today, that made the darkness of the 51st parallel tolerable. Together with the nearby images of the months of the year and the seasons, these etchings speak to the Dutch experience of the Little Ica Age of the 17th century.