The historic town of Nijmegen, with its medieval fortifications, was a popular subject with Dutch artists. The citadel known as the Valkhof had a strong patriotic appeal as the stronghold of Claudius Civilis, the ancient hero who led the Batavians in revolt against the Romans. This 1^st-century uprising invited comparison with the successful Dutch rebellion against Spain.

Cuyp based this radiant landscape on sketches he made during a visit to the site in 1652. The effect of golden light, more typical of Italy than Holland, is a hallmark of his style.

Dukes of Saxe-Coburg- Gotha, Schloss Friedenstein, since at least 1826 (known as the Herzogliches Museum or Museum zu Gotha, and since 2004 as the Stiftung Schloss Friedenstein Gotha);{1} sold in April 1937 by the museum director to the art historian/dealer Eduard Plietzsch as a "van Strij".{2} With (Cassirer, Amsterdam) by July 1937, probably via (Galerie St. Lucas, Vienna);{3} With (Arnold Seligmann, Rey, and Co., Inc., New York) circa 1939, possibly in conjunction with (Rudolf Heinemann [1901-1975], New York);{4} purchased by Caroline Marmon Fesler, Indianapolis, for the John Herron Art Institute, now the Indianapolis Museum of Art, in 1943.{5}

{1} Verzeichniß der Gemählde bey der Herzoglichen Bildergallerie in Gotha, Gotha 1826, Abt. IV, fol. 56, no. 27. No 27 reads as follows: 'Ansicht einer am Waser liegenden Stadt. Im Vorgrunde ist ein stehender Hirt beÿ zweÿ sitzenden Personen und zweÿ ruhenden Kühen sichtbar.' Four other Cuyps were in this ducal collection according to this hand-written inventory. This is confirmed by Cornelis Hofstede de Groot, A Catalogue Raisonné of the works of the Most Eminent Dutch Painters of the Seventeenth Century, 8 volumes, 1908-27, vol. 2, p. 66, cat. no. 196, which lists the painting as in the "Gotha Museum."
{2}In a letter from Plietzsch to museum director Schenk zu Schweinsberg, dated 1 April 1937 (photocopy in IMA provenance file), Plietzsch refers to the negotiations, insisting that a price of 2,500 Marks for this "decorative picture" was far too high. He continued: "I repeat again, that I do not hold this painting to be an original by Aelbert Cuyp, and of course will not sell it as a Cuyp." A subsequent letter from Plietzsch, dated 6 April 1937, confirms that Plietzsch bought the painting as a van Stry (sic) for 1,800 Marks. This correspondence was generously provided by Dr. Allmuth Schuttwolf, Curator, Stiftung Schloss Friedenstein Gotha, in August 2004.
{3} Art historian Alan Chong surmises that the painting passed through Galerie St. Lucas in Vienna before arriving in Amsterdam; see Alan Chong, Aelbert Cuyp and the meanings of landscape, Ph.D. New York University, 1992, cat. no. 152. Correspondence with the Galerie St. Lucas in February 2003 revealed that records from this period are incomplete. Both Max Friedländer and W.R. Valentiner authenticate the painting as a Cuyp in summer 1937 after its arrival in Amsterdam. Friedländer resided in Amsterdam at the time, and Valentiner traveled to Amsterdam in July 1937, as per Valentiner Paper at Archives of American Art, New York, microfilm reel 2140, frame 1044.
{4} Dr. Rudolph J. Heinemann was affiliated with several galleries, including Arnold Seligmann, Rey & Co., Inc., New York according to Special List 2: Books from the Library of Rudolf J. Heinemann (http://www.arslibri.com/s1002.htm). As stated in correspondence between Paul M. Byk of Arnold Seligmann, Rey & Co., Inc. and Mrs. James Fesler on April 26, 1943, the painting was sold to "the very great Firm of Cassirer in Amsterdam about four or five years ago, when we bought it together with them," thus leading to the conclusion that the painting was acquired circa 1939 in conjunction with the art dealer Cassirer. In a following correspondence dated December 6, 1943, Byk wrote to Mrs. Fesler that the painting "went into another dealer's hands and then into ours." See IMA historical file on 43.107.
{5}IMA Temporary Reciept No. 4486.