Views of Haarlem

Inspired by poets, draftsmen and printmakers, painters also discovered Haarlem and its beautiful surroundings as rewarding subjects for their work. Jacob van Ruisdael and Gerrit Berckheyde both repeatedly pictured the city the former with his Haerlempjes, where heavy cloudy skies dominate the landscape and the unmistakable St Bavos Church stands on the horizon. Berckheyde is known for his atmospheric cityscapes: the Grote Markt, with St Bavos as the focal point, the Weigh House on the River Spaarne and the city gates.