The Bleaching Grounds near Haarlem

This Haarlempje (little view of Haarlem) offers a panorama of the city’s linen-bleaching fields, home to a lucrative Dutch trade with global reach. A master of atmosphere and light, Jacob van Ruisdael returned to this popular subject several times throughout his career. In this painting, clouds drift over a field where linens lie bleaching in the sun and the city rises beyond. Two women in the foreground wear tailored white garments, showcasing the fruits of this labour-intensive industry.