Ploegende Ossen: a farmer ploughing with three oxen

Details

Anton Mauve (Dutch, 1838-1888)
Ploegende Ossen: a farmer ploughing with three oxen
signed 'A.Mauve' (lower right)
oil on canvas
33 x 70 cm.

Provenance

Kunsthandel J.J. Biesing, The Hague.
Mr J. Staats Forbes, London, 1895.
Alexander Young Esq., Blackheath.
Alexander Young Esq. sale, Christie's, London, 4 July 1910, lot 325, as: Turning the furrow (GBP 3.202).
Kunsthandel Boussod, Valadon & Cie, The Hague.
Mr W.J. van Randwijk, The Hague.
Mr W.J. van Randwijk sale, Frederik Muller, Amsterdam, 11 April 1916, lot 29 (f. 26.000), where acquired by Dr A.F. Philips, Eindhoven, thence by descent to the present owners.

Literature

C.M. van Gogh, Anton Mauve: Vierentwintig phototypiën, Amsterdam 1896, ill. 18.

Exhibited

Rotterdam, Rotterdamschen Kunstkring, Mauve Tentoonstelling, September 1895, as: Ploegende Ossen (on loan from Mr J. Staats Forbes, London).
London, Royal Academy of Arts, Burlington House, Exhibition of Dutch Art 1450-1900, 1929 (on loan from Dr A.F. Philips).
The Hague, Haags Gemeentemuseum, Herdenkingstentoonstelling Anton Mauve 1838-1888, 17 December 1938-30 January 1939, cat.no. 50 (on loan from Dr A.F. Philips, Eindhoven).
Laren, Singer Museum, Tentoonstelling Anton Mauve, 12 December 1959-31 January 1960, cat.no. 41 (on loan Mrs A.H.E.M Philips-De Jongh).

Special notice

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Lot Essay

As an apprentice to Pieter Frederik van Os (1808-1892) and Wouterus Verschuur (1812-1874), Anton Mauve was taught the art of animal painting from the best artists of this genre at the time. In 1871 he moved to The Hague where he would become one of the foremost painters of the Hague School. The present painting is built up from subtle grey tones. This, combined with its very representative subject matter, makes this painting an outstanding example of Mauve's abilities.

It was mainly the landscape surrounding the village of Laren that had an important influence on Anton Mauve. He bought a house there so that he could enjoy the beauty of the environment with its sweeping heath and green forests every day. He would go into this softly undulating landscape in order to capture the essence of country life.

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