Waddingtons 524 A Winter Scene with an Inn by a Frozen Stream by Isack van Ostade - box
Make: Waddingtons
Serial: 524
Title: A Winter Scene with an Inn by a Frozen Stream by Isack van Ostade
Series: -
Pieces: 500 (concentric circles).
Size: 20" diameter. 50 cm diameter.
Date: 1972.
Bar Code: -
Origin: England.
A 1970s Waddingtons circular puzzle that came in a shallow square 'pizza' box. Note that at least two sizes were used; the earlier (lower numbered) puzzles having 360mm square boxes and the later, higher numbered, puzzles being in a smaller 330mm square box.
I don't usually build "fine art" jigsaws as I find them overly difficult for what they are, but didn't think I could pass up the opportunity to acquire this early 1970s Waddingtons puzzle.
This puzzle was built over the course of a day, but only finished after the natural light for the day had.
Ultimately I built this puzzle in quarters, beginning with the tree in the upper right quadrant, then proceeding counter-clockwise and finishing off with the dark smudges in the lower right quarter.
I found that placing the lighter coloured pieces first tended to help in the lower half of the puzzle, these giving the frozen streambed and the horse, among other detail. From there it was a case of looking for straight(ish) lines and other man-made objects, such as the bridge, the sled and the barrel. After that a case of filling in the gaps, at least until I ran out of pieces to place.
With seven missing pieces and a further four damaged pieces, this puzzle is far from complete or happy. The box has had a hard life too, with previous owners being rather cavalier with both the application and removal of tape. I rather suspect I will be the final owner of this particular example.
On the underside of the box there is text in four languages, most of which is below:
A WINTER SCENE WITH AN INN BY A FROZEN STREAM
Oil on Oak 19 3/16" x 15 ¾" (48.7 x 40 cm) signed Isack van Ostade
Isack van Ostade (1621 - 1649)
The National Gallery, London
Isack van Ostade was the younger brother and pupil of Adriaen Van Ostade (who was a Haarlem genre painter and a pupil of Frans Hals). In his short life he painted a large number of pictures, some of them genre subjects like brothers, but the best are of landscape.
Pictures depicting the frozen waters of Holland, enlivened by skating figures, had been popular since the very beginning of the 17th century. Dutch painters for a long time retained a single well-tried composition scheme. They viewed their scenes from the top in order to gain space for the unfolding of numerous episodes, and they were very fond of painting the blue skies of a frosty day and small vividly coloured skaters. 'On the Ice' by Isack van Ostade, like 'A Winter Scene, with an Inn by a Frozen Stream' was however, inspired by an endeavour to find a new, more intensive view. The spectator no longer looks at the scene from a distance and from above but becomes involved in the action, viewing it from his own height so that figures in front of him, and the landscape, become a unifying whole.
The painter overcame the need for composing his landscape with the aid of space plans. Everything in his picture takes place in a smooth flow of action on the frozen surface of the water with a low horizon, above which is an expanse of sky.
We are here witnessing an effort to create a picture of the Dutch Countryside with people moving about in it. The painting undoubtedly dates from around 1640 and is an outstanding feat on the part of the artist, expressing a harmonious relationship between man and nature.
Isack van Ostade was an accomplished draftsman influenced by his brother Adriaen, he began by specialising in interiors done in chiaroscuro, one of his favourite themes being 'The Slaughtered Pig'. After 1642, however, he took to open air scenes of peasant life, and also painted some fine winter landscapes in large dimensions.
Bought more jigsaws…
DONE: 96 puzzles (73335 nominal piece count). TO DO: 582 puzzles (668862 nominal piece count).
Waddingtons 524 A Winter Scene with an Inn by a Frozen Stream by Isack van Ostade - box
Make: Waddingtons
Serial: 524
Title: A Winter Scene with an Inn by a Frozen Stream by Isack van Ostade
Series: -
Pieces: 500 (concentric circles).
Size: 20" diameter. 50 cm diameter.
Date: 1972.
Bar Code: -
Origin: England.
A 1970s Waddingtons circular puzzle that came in a shallow square 'pizza' box. Note that at least two sizes were used; the earlier (lower numbered) puzzles having 360mm square boxes and the later, higher numbered, puzzles being in a smaller 330mm square box.
I don't usually build "fine art" jigsaws as I find them overly difficult for what they are, but didn't think I could pass up the opportunity to acquire this early 1970s Waddingtons puzzle.
This puzzle was built over the course of a day, but only finished after the natural light for the day had.
Ultimately I built this puzzle in quarters, beginning with the tree in the upper right quadrant, then proceeding counter-clockwise and finishing off with the dark smudges in the lower right quarter.
I found that placing the lighter coloured pieces first tended to help in the lower half of the puzzle, these giving the frozen streambed and the horse, among other detail. From there it was a case of looking for straight(ish) lines and other man-made objects, such as the bridge, the sled and the barrel. After that a case of filling in the gaps, at least until I ran out of pieces to place.
With seven missing pieces and a further four damaged pieces, this puzzle is far from complete or happy. The box has had a hard life too, with previous owners being rather cavalier with both the application and removal of tape. I rather suspect I will be the final owner of this particular example.
On the underside of the box there is text in four languages, most of which is below:
A WINTER SCENE WITH AN INN BY A FROZEN STREAM
Oil on Oak 19 3/16" x 15 ¾" (48.7 x 40 cm) signed Isack van Ostade
Isack van Ostade (1621 - 1649)
The National Gallery, London
Isack van Ostade was the younger brother and pupil of Adriaen Van Ostade (who was a Haarlem genre painter and a pupil of Frans Hals). In his short life he painted a large number of pictures, some of them genre subjects like brothers, but the best are of landscape.
Pictures depicting the frozen waters of Holland, enlivened by skating figures, had been popular since the very beginning of the 17th century. Dutch painters for a long time retained a single well-tried composition scheme. They viewed their scenes from the top in order to gain space for the unfolding of numerous episodes, and they were very fond of painting the blue skies of a frosty day and small vividly coloured skaters. 'On the Ice' by Isack van Ostade, like 'A Winter Scene, with an Inn by a Frozen Stream' was however, inspired by an endeavour to find a new, more intensive view. The spectator no longer looks at the scene from a distance and from above but becomes involved in the action, viewing it from his own height so that figures in front of him, and the landscape, become a unifying whole.
The painter overcame the need for composing his landscape with the aid of space plans. Everything in his picture takes place in a smooth flow of action on the frozen surface of the water with a low horizon, above which is an expanse of sky.
We are here witnessing an effort to create a picture of the Dutch Countryside with people moving about in it. The painting undoubtedly dates from around 1640 and is an outstanding feat on the part of the artist, expressing a harmonious relationship between man and nature.
Isack van Ostade was an accomplished draftsman influenced by his brother Adriaen, he began by specialising in interiors done in chiaroscuro, one of his favourite themes being 'The Slaughtered Pig'. After 1642, however, he took to open air scenes of peasant life, and also painted some fine winter landscapes in large dimensions.
Bought more jigsaws…
DONE: 96 puzzles (73335 nominal piece count). TO DO: 582 puzzles (668862 nominal piece count).