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Lot Essay
It is common knowledge that Mesdag produced large canvases, like the present lot, especially for the Salon -exhibitions.
In 1893 Mesdag entered five works to the Paris Salon. The present lot, hitherto kept in the obscurity of a private collection, mat well be identical to catalogue no. ..., Scheveningen -le depart, of that same year.
Together with Jozef Israels, Mesdag belonged to the few Dutch artists exhibiting regularly at the Paris Salon.
His entries for the Salon of 1870 consisted of two seascapes: Winterdag in Scheveningen and the famous Les Brisants du Mer du Nord The latter composition earned Mesdag a gold medal, immediately establishing his reputation as an artist. The missive, signed by Millet, stating his triumph, had always been a prominent artifact in his studio.
At the Salon of 1887 his Soleil Couchant was acquired for the collection of the Musée du Luxembourg. Such an acquisition by the French government was regarded as a wonderful tribute to a living artist.
The Salon entries are currently researched by the Stichting Mesdag Documentatie, culminating in a forthcoming publication.
The present lot is recorded in the archives of the Stichting Mesdag Documentatie, Wassenaar, Inv.no 1893.08.
Please compare with a picture of almost the identical subject-matter in J. Poort, Hendrik Willem Mesdag, Wassenaar 1989, inv.no 21.20, p. 340, ill.
In 1893 Mesdag entered five works to the Paris Salon. The present lot, hitherto kept in the obscurity of a private collection, mat well be identical to catalogue no. ..., Scheveningen -le depart, of that same year.
Together with Jozef Israels, Mesdag belonged to the few Dutch artists exhibiting regularly at the Paris Salon.
His entries for the Salon of 1870 consisted of two seascapes: Winterdag in Scheveningen and the famous Les Brisants du Mer du Nord The latter composition earned Mesdag a gold medal, immediately establishing his reputation as an artist. The missive, signed by Millet, stating his triumph, had always been a prominent artifact in his studio.
At the Salon of 1887 his Soleil Couchant was acquired for the collection of the Musée du Luxembourg. Such an acquisition by the French government was regarded as a wonderful tribute to a living artist.
The Salon entries are currently researched by the Stichting Mesdag Documentatie, culminating in a forthcoming publication.
The present lot is recorded in the archives of the Stichting Mesdag Documentatie, Wassenaar, Inv.no 1893.08.
Please compare with a picture of almost the identical subject-matter in J. Poort, Hendrik Willem Mesdag, Wassenaar 1989, inv.no 21.20, p. 340, ill.