Icy Pleasures by the Pellecussenpoort, Utrecht

The scene shows a winter riverside with ice on the water and groups of people skating and walking, while a tall fortress-like Pellecussenpoort tower and surrounding medieval buildings rise on the right. The color palette is cool and subdued, with pale blues and grays in the sky and water, warmed by the ochre and brown tones of the stone structures. The painting reflects van Goyen’s Dutch Golden Age landscape style, with an emphasis on atmospheric light, a restrained tonal range, and careful architectural detail within a broad, horizontal composition.