Extensive Mountainous Landscape

This painting shows an extensive mountainous landscape with figures before a building. A horseman passes a man talking to two women, one of whom sits down to rest; nearby a child clad in blue and a loyal dog wait patiently. Beyond them, two figures follow the path as it curves round to a bridge over which a herdsman guides his cattle. Further along the path still, three more figures can be seen approaching a town. Through the trees on the right hand side of the painting another town sits on the edge of the water and in the distant haze, the faint silhouettes of two sailing boats can be glimpsed.

This painting and its pair, the Extensive River Landscape, are examples of the Flemish landscape genre. They are collaborative works of Adriaen Frans Boudewijns and Pieter Bout, who painted the staffage figures. The two artists formed a highly successful partnership.