Village of Olinda, Brazil

between November 1911 and August 1912, purchased in Germany by Paul S. Reinsch (Madison, WI); 1912, sold to Charles R. Crane (Chicago, IL); 1913, gifted to the University of Wisconsin-Madison; 1967, transferred to the Elvehjem Art Center [now called Chazen Museum of Art]

• Blacksberg, Leslie Ann. "In Context: 'Village of Olinda, Brazil' by Frans Post." Elvehjem Museum of Art Bulletin/Biennial Report 1995-1997. Elvehjem Museum of Art (1998). p. 83, no. 1
• Levy, Carlos Roberto and Anton Rajer. "Frans Post's Village of Olinda: A Tropical Landscape of Dutch Colonial Brazil." Elvehjem Museum of Art Bulletin, 1995-1997. Elvehjem Museum of Art (1997): 71-82. pp. 71-82
• Rogers, Millard F., Jr. "Paintings at the Elvehjem Art Center, University of Wisconsin." The Magazine Antiques. Vol. CVIII, No. 6, December (1975). pp. 1147, 1150, fig. 2
• Corrêa do Lago, Pedro and Bia. "Frans Post (1612-1680): Catalogue raisonné." Milan: 5 Continents Editions, 2007. p. 251, no. 86
• Elvehjem Museum of Art. "Handbook of the Collection." Elvehjem Museum of Art, University of Wisconsin-Madison. Madison, 1990. no. 40
• Elvehjem Museum of Art. "Bulletin/Biennial Report 1995-1997." Madison: Elvehjem Museum of Art, 1998. pp. 71, 83
• Madison Art Association. "Collection of Paintings Owned by Paul S. Reinsch: Exhibition in the State Historical Library Building." Madison, WI: Madison Art Association, 1912. p. 5, no. 30
• Watrous, James. "A Century of Capricious Collecting 1877-1970: From the Gallery in Science Hall to the Elvehjem Museum of Art," Madison, WI: Elvehjem Museum of Art, 1987. p. 5, fig. 4

• Resource & Ruin: Wisconsin’s Enduring Landscape: Chazen Museum of Art, 12/19/2022–3/26/2023
• Frans Post's Village of Olinda, Brazil (1660): Elvehjem Museum of Art, 4/1/1998–5/31/1998
• Age of the Marvelous, The: Hood Museum of Art, Dartmouth College, 9/21/1991–1/3/1993
• Collection of Paintings Owned by Paul S. Reinsch: The Madison Art Association, 9/26/1912–10/24/1912

This large landscape painting depicts a panoramic view of a rural settlement and surrounding countryside under a vast, pale blue sky that occupies the upper half of the canvas. In the immediate foreground on the left, a group of people with dark skin tones are gathered on a dirt path, appearing to socialize or dance. Some are bare-chested and wear white bottoms and other figures wear tops and skirts in varying shades of red, yellow, and white. Several baskets sit on the ground near the group, suggesting recent harvesting activity. To the right, dense, lush tropical vegetation fills a slope in the right corner of the composition, featuring large spiky plants, red flowers, and a tall palm tree rising along the right edge. The midground features a clearing of reddish-brown earth leading to a cluster of buildings. A prominent two-story white house with a tiled roof and balcony stands near the center, with scattered smaller figures walking across the clearing. To the left of the settlement, the stone walls of a ruined structure are visible among the trees. The background extends into a deep, flat horizon line consisting of rolling green hills, patches of forest, and a river winding through the distance.

• Europe
• Paintings
• Alt Text Accessible

The Chazen Museum of Art welcomes comments or inquiries about works in our collection. Please allow two–three weeks for a response. Chazen staff is not able to provide valuations or authentications and such inquiries cannot be answered.