Jan Griffier the Elder, Wide River Landscape with Ruins In his imaginatively composed landscapes, Jan Griffier the Elder mainly depicted expansive panoramas in which the illusion of pictorial depth is often accentuated by a river winding into the distance. This composition is enlivened by a number of small and finely painted figures, the narrative details of which first become apparent upon prolonged observation of the work. The smooth surface of the copper panel, a medium frequently used by Griffier, lends the colours a luminous brilliance, which in the present painting is further emphasised by the warm light that illuminates the scene. Oil on copper 43.5 x 57.5 cm