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Lot Essay
Although Barend Cornelis Koekkoek dedicated his entire artistic career to the genre of landscape painting, his oeuvre is nonetheless very diverse. Whereas the paintings from his early years are characterized by a straightforward and realistic composition, his later landscapes distinguish themselves by a more complicated and artificial build-up.
The present lot dates from the first period and yet already shows signs of the artist's tendancy to compose his landscapes.
A stylistic trait also found in other paintings of this period is the depiction of a broad river or road in the foreground which as it meanders through the landscape gets progressively narrower and leads the viewer's eye to the horizon (see: Winterlandscape 1837 in the collection of the Teylers Museum, Haarlem). As is illustrated by the present lot, Koekkoek mainly chose to place the river or road just off centre. Koekkoek painted the present lot only four years after his move to Cleves and at the time was still mainly inspired by the flat countryside of Holland. For his winter scenes Koekkoek was even known to exclusively refer to the Dutch landscape. With great care Koekkoek has enriched the snow-covered landscape with skaters, wood gatherers and figures in warm winter clothing. Painterly effects such as the haze covering the forest further enhance the winter atmosphere.
We wish to thank Drs G. de Werd, Director of the Museum Kurhaus in Cleves, for confirming the authenticity of the present lot after firsthand examination.
To be included in the forthcoming catalogue raissoné being prepared by Drs G. de Werd, no. 38-36.5.
The present lot dates from the first period and yet already shows signs of the artist's tendancy to compose his landscapes.
A stylistic trait also found in other paintings of this period is the depiction of a broad river or road in the foreground which as it meanders through the landscape gets progressively narrower and leads the viewer's eye to the horizon (see: Winterlandscape 1837 in the collection of the Teylers Museum, Haarlem). As is illustrated by the present lot, Koekkoek mainly chose to place the river or road just off centre. Koekkoek painted the present lot only four years after his move to Cleves and at the time was still mainly inspired by the flat countryside of Holland. For his winter scenes Koekkoek was even known to exclusively refer to the Dutch landscape. With great care Koekkoek has enriched the snow-covered landscape with skaters, wood gatherers and figures in warm winter clothing. Painterly effects such as the haze covering the forest further enhance the winter atmosphere.
We wish to thank Drs G. de Werd, Director of the Museum Kurhaus in Cleves, for confirming the authenticity of the present lot after firsthand examination.
To be included in the forthcoming catalogue raissoné being prepared by Drs G. de Werd, no. 38-36.5.