Two Old Men beside a Sled Bearing the Coats of Arms of Amsterdam and Utrecht

Discussion

FROM THE ART INSTITUTE OF CHICAGO’S CATALOG

Hendrick Avercamp frequently depicted recreational activities on ice. But it is unclear whether the figures here are at leisure or work. The seated postman in blue may be concluding his daily rounds between Utrecht and Amsterdam (as the coats of arms at the back of his sled imply). His clothing is more formal than that of the older, standing men, which suggests that they come from different social classes. Behind these principal figures, workers push goods across the frozen river to tall ships in the distance. Avercamp employed many different kinds of media to create this work and placed each element with care. He first drew the composition with graphite and then precisely applied different tones of watercolor with fine brushes. The resulting drawing effectively conveys frozen water, frigid air, and the sun setting against a northern sky.

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