Landscape with Three Trees in the Foreground

In the foreground of this wooded landscape, the white stem of a beech catches sunlight as it tilts to the right, thereby effectively leading the viewer further into the picture. The landscape descends into a valley with a castle and a distant hillside. The artist used an elaborate mixture of pen and ink, with tonally applied washes and white gouache to create rich tonal effects and a convincing sense of depth and texture, thereby enhancing the impressive structure of the composition.

Lucas Achtschellink belonged to a group of Flemish landscapists, active in the surroundings of Brussels around the middle of the seventeenth century. His work shows strong resemblance to that of his presumed teacher, Lodewijk de Vadder (1605–1655) and his prolific contemporary Jacques d’Arthois (1613–1686), with whom his pictures are often confused.

All three artists had a predilection for rustic, wooded landscapes, for which the Sonian Forest (Forêt de Soigne) nearby Brussels provided an outstanding source of inspiration.