During the 17th century, Northern Europe endured the Little Ice Age, marked by unusually frigid winters and cool summers. The Arctic cold was especially pronounced in Holland. A famously watery region, its rivers and canals froze over. In response, the Dutch hit the ice, partaking in sport, leisure, and work. Hendrick Avercamp (1585–1634) immortalized these daily activities in paintings.
Avercamp was the first Dutch artist to specialize in the portrayal of “wintertjes,” or winter scenes. At the time, Calvinist Dutch art patrons preferred landscapes, portraits, and genre works over religious pictures. Avercamp’s animated winter landscapes were in such demand that he even painted them in summer.
