Wooded landscape with a cheerful company in a carriage

A lively party of travellers in a horse-drawn wagon passing farmhouses amid the trees. Figures along the side of the country road respond as they wave exuberantly. When Meindert Hobbema painted this he was at the height of his career, having started as a pupil of Jacob van Ruisdael. While Hobbema’s landscapes often resemble those of his teacher, they are more joyful and light. His treetops reach high into the sky and the leaves glisten in the sun. Interestingly, Hobbema’s trees are lit from behind, which enhances the sense of depth.