The Holbech Family, Farnborough Hall, Warwickshire, probably acquired in the 19th century;
Anonymous sale, New York, Sotheby's, January 12, 1989, lot 53, where purchased by Richard Green for $517,000 ;
With Richard Green, London, by whom sold to a private collector, circa 1990.

The following condition report has been provided by Simon Parkes of Simon Parkes Art Conservation, Inc. 502 East 74th St. New York, NY 212-734-3920, simonparkes@msn.com , an independent restorer who is not an employee of Sotheby's. This painting has been fairly recently restored and could be hung as is. The canvas has been lined with glue as an adhesive and the paint layer is stable. Restorations have been applied across the top edge to address some losses, other than this the paint layer is in healthy condition throughout. There are some random dots of retouch visible under ultraviolet light in the sky, but not in any unusual concentration except for an old tear in the upper right sky. The retouches are reasonably effective, but some lack of accuracy is evident in a few of them, which could be corrected. Overall however, the condition is very respectable.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

Salomon van Ruysdael was one of the leading figures in landscape painting of the Dutch Golden Age.  Like his contemporary Jan van Goyen, Ruysdael's style was influenced by Pieter Molyn and the tonal school of landscape painting.  However, Ruysdael also invented his own distinct pictorial tools to create harmonious compositions that beautifully captured the landscape of his native country.    

Ruysdael is perhaps best known for his atmospheric river scenes, such as the present example, that he began painting in the 1630s.  The earliest of these are characterized by a monochromatic palette, but as he developed his own, more personal style, he began to use more varied colors.  The present painting, signed and dated 1641, is typical of Ruysdael's work of the early 1640s.  A soft, golden light sets the tone for the overall composition, but the artist introduces more color into the scene through his use of lovely blues and greens for the sky and water.  Also in this landscape, the artist populates the left side of the composition with a tall and angular sailboat, ruins, figures, and barges, while the right side is dominated by an open expanse of water and sky, dotted with a sailboat and distant buildings.  To increase a sense of depth in this composition, the artist (almost playfully) places a piece of driftwood and a barrel at angles in the forefront of the picture plane, which act as repoussoir devices.