View of a Monastery in the Roman Countryside

Verstappen worked on plein-air studies, and his picturesque views aim to capture the beauty of the Roman countryside. The present painting relies on the principles of a balanced composition: after a shady foreground comes a middle ground bathed in soft Italian light. The effect of depth is accentuated by the use of an aerial perspective in the background, as well as the objects found on the sides: the tree, struck by lightning, on the right, and a rocky cliff on the left, serve to frame the composition and guide the spectator’s eye towards the centre of the painting, occupied by a classic monastery. The end of the religious service is the opportunity to capture several groups of people in traditional dress, who help animate the landscape and add to the general harmony of the piece.