Landscape with Morra Players

landscape

In the first half of the seventeenth century many Dutch painters made the long journey to Italy to familiarize themselves with Italian art. Pieter van Laer lived in Rome from 1623 to 1639, and the picture in the Budapest collection was painted during the last years of his stay. The free composition of his paintings, the broad gestures and bright sunshine illuminating the colours reveal what most captivated the artist, who had moved south from the grey rainclouds of the Netherland skies.

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About the Artist

Pieter van Laer

1592 – 1642

Dutch painter, active for much of his career (1625-39) in Rome. There he was nicknamed "Il Bamboccio" (Little clumsy one) on account of his deformed body. He was one of the leaders of a fraternal organization set up by Netherlandish artists in Rome to protect their interests. Van Laer was the first artist to specialize in scenes of street life in Rome. His work proved popular with collectors and he inspired numerous followers who were known as the "Bamboccianti". They were mainly other Northeners working in Rome. Their pictures are called "bambocciata", Italian for childishness. In 1639 van Laer returned to his native Haarlem.

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