The Lake of Zurich, Jan Hackaert, c. 1660
oil on canvas, h 82cm × w 145cm More details
Hackaert belongs to the Dutch Italianates, the name given to painters able to capture the golden sunlight of Italy. It is unclear whether he ever actually travelled to Italy. What is certain is that he lived for many years in Switzerland, where he made drawings in the environs of Zurich. He relied on such studies for this panoramic view – it is one of the earliest topographical renderings of the Alps.
