Flat landscape with a view to distant hills, 1648 (oil on panel)

Koninck's panoramic views were among the most innovative developments in Dutch landscape painting. He was inspired by the broad plains of his native Gelderland, and this subject dominated much of his work. This early example may show the influence of Rembrandt in its contrasts of light and shade. Koninck suggests the expansiveness of the land through horizontal bands of mossy greens and browns. The eye is led back through these planes, which give the small panel a surprising sense of space and recession. The minute figures and the dog chasing birds provide a sense of scale. The view may look convincing, but the distant mountains are not typical of the terrain of Holland. Like most Dutch 17th century paintings, it is a reconstruction of reality, assembled from outdoor sketches and from memory.