Salomon van Ruysdael, After the Rain, 1631

I don't know anything about 17th century Dutch landscape painting, except for the general aesthetic of imposing skies and great, dark trees. At first you think they all look the same, but each has its own subtle atmosphere, which is sometimes charming, sometimes threatening, but always wonderfully tangible. It's been raining here the past few days. (Ah, November!) And this painting...the sky, the clouds, the patches of light which seem to be rolling along the ground...seem to capture the feeling of a late fall storm perfectly, the rich gold of the land and the great grey sky. There is something so melancholy, so appealing, about the people in the wagon, the abandoned cart in the field, and the little house through the trees. It is a romantic portrait of rural workers, but I can't help but feel an attraction to this lifestyle which is so foreign and which seems so much simpler than today.

Image from: [link]