The Zuiderzee Coast near Muiden

"The Zuiderzee Coast near Muiden" is a 1680 painting by Jacob van Ruisdael. 



The artwork, measuring 0.695 meters wide and 0.556 meters high, depicts a coastal scene. The foreground shows a sandy path leading to a beach where several small figures are visible, some appearing to be walking along the shore, others possibly fishing in a small boat. A low, sandy dune rises on the left, with a few more figures standing on its crest. 



The middle ground shows a flat expanse of land extending to the horizon, where a few small buildings or structures are barely discernible. The background is dominated by a vast, cloudy sky, with various shades of gray and light brown clouds filling most of the upper two-thirds of the canvas. The clouds are rendered with a loose, painterly style, suggesting movement and atmospheric depth. The overall color palette is muted, with earth tones and grays predominating. The painting is in the collection of Polesden Lacey.