Dutch winter, ice skating scene – John June, 1778/1779
€450
“WINTER AMUSEMENTS IN HOLLAND“
Copper engraving based on a design by John June, published in 1778/79 as part of Charles Theodore Middleton‘s New and Complete System of Geography. Coloured by a later hand. Size (print): 19.1 x 29.7 cm.
As soon as the ice was strong enough, koek-en-zopie tents, adorned with a cheerfully fluttering Dutch flag, sprang up like mushrooms. At these stops, skaters could take a break, tighten their skate straps, or treat their ijsliefje (ice sweetheart). In addition to warm beer, other drinks such as brandy, cognac, and anise or hot chocolate milk were often sold. They are frequently depicted, sometimes as nothing more than a bench next to a wrapped pot of hot beer with a fire underneath.
Price: €450 (including frame).
