Winter Scene with Skating

Skaters take to a frozen surface in this winter scene from around 1776, held at the Maidstone Museum and Bentlif Art Gallery. Winter skating scenes had a distinguished pedigree in Northern European painting, from the Dutch Golden Age masters through to the popular prints that circulated widely in eighteenth-century Britain. De Loutherbourg brings his theatrical eye for animation and atmospheric effect to this traditional subject, creating a lively scene of seasonal recreation.

The frozen surface reflects a pale winter sky, creating the characteristic luminosity of ice landscapes. Skating figures are rendered with animated poses that suggest movement across the ice. De Loutherbourg's winter palette of whites, pale blues, and greys is enlivened by touches of color in the skaters' clothing, while bare trees frame the composition.