From Darkness to Light

The local fisher-folk of Zandvoort were a source of inspiration for Jozef Israels during his stay in this coastal village for health reasons in 1855. After having moved to The Haque permanently, the artist visited the fishing village of Scheveningen daily to find subjects for his paintings. There he discovered, among other motives, the theme of death and greaving people. With great sentiment, the artist succeeded in capturing the sorrow often experienced by the fishing community. The present lot 'From Darkness to Light' must be considered the last in a series of four about the death of a fisherman. Israels also painted a larger version of this picture which is at present in the Tel Aviv Art Museum in Israel (oil on canvas, 129.5 x 199.5). Trying to date this picture has been puzzeling. In 1871, Aleida Schaap, Israels' wife, sent a letter to her friend Mr. A.S.Kok. In it she gives a description of a picture comparable to the present lot that her husband, 'the busy boss', was working on: "The boss is busy painting, a really lovely picture 'from darkness into light', a woman is sitting on a chair with her face in her hand, a little darling of a baby is sleeping innocently in her craddle. A six-year-old child is sitting at her mother's knee with her head in her lap, a dismal train of mourners is carrying the father's body out through the door; you can see the sky outside, the church steeple, etc., it's 'touching". 1871 could therefore quite possibly be the year in which Israels excecuted this picture. However there is another description of a picture with this subject and title that can be found in the writings of the well-known art critic Carel Vosmaer. In 1881 he gives this picture the date of 1863. It is probable that Vosmaer wrote about this picture with the authorization of the artist himself. Up to this day speculation regarding the picture's date of execution remains, but it is thought that 1863 is more likely to be the correct one.