Frolicking on a Frozen Canal in a Town

Jan van de Velde II (1593–1641). Frolicking on a frozen canal in a town, c. 1620. The frozen canal beyond the city walls of Haarlem is bustling with activity. It is as if all the inhabitants have turned their back on the city and are busy skating, sledding, or playing kolf, a game involving a ball and sticks. Van de Velde has portrayed the various forms of winter fun in great detail: on the right a gentleman is adjusting the skates of his richly attired partner, nearby someone else takes a tumble and, on a lighter note, the man on the left is relieving himself. Purchased in 1884.