Landscape with bridge and tower

early 18th century · Oil painting · 54.5 × 65.3 cm

Can I see it?

Not on view at present

Where is “Landscape with bridge and tower” now? Collection: Victoria and Albert Museum, London. Not on view at present. Checked September 25, 2026.

Victoria and Albert Museum

London, United Kingdom

It belongs to the collection, but is not on display at present.

Checked: 15 days ago
In this state since: Sep 25, 2026
Source: The museum

On the map Museum page

About the painting

A bridge crossing a verdant valley with a river flowing beneath and ruined fortification at right. A peasant on a horse or donkey traversing the bridge is silhouetted in the low light of the sun, while the open gate of a rustic shelter, seemingly carved out of the rock at bottom right, has attracted the attention of a curious dog. A bridge crosses a verdant valley with a river flowing beneath and ruined fortification at right. A peasant on a horse or donkey traversing the bridge is silhouetted in the low light of the sun, while the open gate of a rustic shelter, seemingly carved out of the rock at bottom right, has attracted the attention of a curious dog.

Read on

An attribution to Willem van Bemmel (1630-1708) has been suggested by Marijke de Kinkelder (verbal communication) in February 2010. van Bemmel was active primarily in Utrecht where he trained with Herman Saftleven and was greatly inspired by Jan Both, one of the foremost painters among the second generation of Dutch Italianates. The motif of the man on a horse seen from behind (visible on the bridge in this work) reappears throughout van Bemmel's work as does the

tall thin wispy tree silhouetted against sky. The bridge with its fortified tower recalls that of the ancient Roman ponte molle or Milvian Bridge which captured the imaginations of many Dutch Italianate artists visiting Rome, visible for example in Jan Both's engraving of ca. 1640-50.

Victoria and Albert Museum