Italian Landscape with Inn and Ancient Ruins

In this Italian landscape with a long city wall and flocks of sheep, a woman is sitting outside an inn. She is looking amiably at us, while plucking a cockerel. The boy on her left is thrashing the dogs with his riding crop, and a bit further on, some travellers are sitting under a pergola in the shade.

Jan Baptist Weenix lived in Italy for a few years, where he became familiar not only with the classical ruins, but also with the Mediterranean light. On his return to Utrecht, he developed into one of the most important Romanists.