Jan Josephsz. van Goyen was one of the most prolific landscape artists of the 17th century. His compositions range from sweeping vistas of land, water, and sky (as seen in his nearby painting "View of Rhenen") to more intimate glimpses of towns teeming with tiny figures. Here van Goyen drew inspiration from the popular entertainment of a street show at a village fair where a temporary stage has been set up for the traveling actors and musicians to perform for a crowd of onlookers of all ages. Van Goyen’s eye for charming and anecdotal detail is evinced by the small figures peeping out from behind and above the stage’s curtained backdrop.