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Lot Essay
During van Gogh’s final stay in The Hague, he became preoccupied with drawing townspeople dressed in fishermen’s clothing. The artist continues Jean-Francois Millet’s legacy, using portraiture as a means of elevating ordinary subject matter. In contrast to the formality of upper-class portraiture, the fisherman is portrayed with only practical elements. The hat, (termed a sou’wester), boots, and long-sleeved garments protect the fisherman from the outdoor elements.The viewer can easily discern the worn qualities of the clothing and the fisherman’s weathered demeanor. The contrasting tones of pencil cleverly come together to create a veristic subject who is both standing stoically and loose in form. He secures his basket with one arm, protectively resting it on his chest. The dynamic three-quarter turn fits well within van Gogh’s canonical portraits, allowing a view of the model’s maximum profile.
Over the calendar year, van Gogh experimented with variations of this study. In one example, the fisherman sits down and smokes as an alternative pose, drawn in The Hague around the same time. In the summer of 1883, the artist tackled a painting of a fisherman, this time obstructing the figure’s face and contextualizing them with a waterfront atmosphere. Executed in August, van Gogh would have been on the cusp of developing confidence in his painterly style. The artistic exploration of medium here bestows importance on the subject matter. Noticeably, all three works feature the sou’wester, which becomes a calling card for the artist’s study.
As van Gogh would have sourced the fishermen’s clothes for his models second-hand or perhaps purchased in the town, the artist dressed his subjects as a type of heroic figure through his artistic attention. In January 1883, the artist further reveals his sentiment in accordance with this series: “There’s something nice about dealing with models—one learns a lot from them—this winter I’ve had people who will always stay in my memory.” (quoted in Letter 305, The Letters, The Hague, Friday, 26 or Saturday, 27 January 1883). Visser met een Mand op zijn Rug (Fisherman with Basket on his Back) typifies van Gogh’s lifelong commitment to painting laborers, and the fisherman studies naturally precede his next series of peasants in Nuenen.
Over the calendar year, van Gogh experimented with variations of this study. In one example, the fisherman sits down and smokes as an alternative pose, drawn in The Hague around the same time. In the summer of 1883, the artist tackled a painting of a fisherman, this time obstructing the figure’s face and contextualizing them with a waterfront atmosphere. Executed in August, van Gogh would have been on the cusp of developing confidence in his painterly style. The artistic exploration of medium here bestows importance on the subject matter. Noticeably, all three works feature the sou’wester, which becomes a calling card for the artist’s study.
As van Gogh would have sourced the fishermen’s clothes for his models second-hand or perhaps purchased in the town, the artist dressed his subjects as a type of heroic figure through his artistic attention. In January 1883, the artist further reveals his sentiment in accordance with this series: “There’s something nice about dealing with models—one learns a lot from them—this winter I’ve had people who will always stay in my memory.” (quoted in Letter 305, The Letters, The Hague, Friday, 26 or Saturday, 27 January 1883). Visser met een Mand op zijn Rug (Fisherman with Basket on his Back) typifies van Gogh’s lifelong commitment to painting laborers, and the fisherman studies naturally precede his next series of peasants in Nuenen.