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Lot Essay
Maris' interest for landscape painting was awakened during his visits to the artist's colony of Oosterbeek in 1859, 1860 and 1864. In 1865 Maris settled in Paris, where he was to stay untill 1871. During this period he initially painted readily marketable genre works (Italiennes), and later became, influenced by the Barbizon School, a landscape artist.
On his return from Paris, the artist focused his attention on painting the surroundings of The Hague. This move back to the artist's native town proved to be a turning point in his artistic career. Inspired by the painters he had met in Oosterbeek and the work of the Barbizon School, Maris developed into one of the leading figures of the Hague School and became known for his impressionist renderings of town views. He had given a new direction to Dutch painting, by the strength of his compositions, simplified colour, dramatic lighting, and above all, his broad sure handling of paint.
Jacob Maris work was well received in Holland and abroad. Following his death the international art community expressed their admiration for his paintings in no uncertain terms: "... in looking at his pictures we are impressed by their breadth, strength and simplicity, with the wonderful movement and light in the sky, which is modeled with a mingled subtlety and strength that perhaps no other modern artist attained." (E.G.C., James Maris, The Art Journal, April 1900, p. 111).
In his book on the artist, Theophile de Bock explains what position the mill as a subject matter occupies in the oeuvre of the artist and acknowledges its importance: "Aangetrokken door door hun eigenaardige karakter, als gegroeid uit een omgeving van schuren en lage huisjes, heft Maris deze molens herhaaldelijk als onderwerpen van schilderijen gekozen en weder zijn wij getuige van allengs zich voltrokken scheppinsproces, om eindelijk te komen tot de in krachtige, zuivere plastiek omgezette machtige impressie." (Th. de Bock, op.cit. p. 82). Although snowscapes form only a small part of the artist's oeuvre, the artist developed a special liking for them in his mature years. The snowscapes by his hands that are dated, all dated from 1888 and 1890 (photographs recorded in the archives of the R.K.D). Theophile de Bock gives an emotional insight as he discusses his views on Maris' windmills in winter: "In aangrijpende eenzaamhein uit de sneeuw opdoemend in de donkere onheilzwangere lucht, bij elken wiekslag als kreunende over het zwaar te dragen en tandenknersend de as bewegend, geen levende ziel in de omtrek, alleen de raven vliegen rusteloos door de zware atmospheer. Heerlijk is de sonoor-lugubere toon volgehouden, diep- en ernstig het al doordringend." (Th. de Bock, op.cit. p. 89).
On his return from Paris, the artist focused his attention on painting the surroundings of The Hague. This move back to the artist's native town proved to be a turning point in his artistic career. Inspired by the painters he had met in Oosterbeek and the work of the Barbizon School, Maris developed into one of the leading figures of the Hague School and became known for his impressionist renderings of town views. He had given a new direction to Dutch painting, by the strength of his compositions, simplified colour, dramatic lighting, and above all, his broad sure handling of paint.
Jacob Maris work was well received in Holland and abroad. Following his death the international art community expressed their admiration for his paintings in no uncertain terms: "... in looking at his pictures we are impressed by their breadth, strength and simplicity, with the wonderful movement and light in the sky, which is modeled with a mingled subtlety and strength that perhaps no other modern artist attained." (E.G.C., James Maris, The Art Journal, April 1900, p. 111).
In his book on the artist, Theophile de Bock explains what position the mill as a subject matter occupies in the oeuvre of the artist and acknowledges its importance: "Aangetrokken door door hun eigenaardige karakter, als gegroeid uit een omgeving van schuren en lage huisjes, heft Maris deze molens herhaaldelijk als onderwerpen van schilderijen gekozen en weder zijn wij getuige van allengs zich voltrokken scheppinsproces, om eindelijk te komen tot de in krachtige, zuivere plastiek omgezette machtige impressie." (Th. de Bock, op.cit. p. 82). Although snowscapes form only a small part of the artist's oeuvre, the artist developed a special liking for them in his mature years. The snowscapes by his hands that are dated, all dated from 1888 and 1890 (photographs recorded in the archives of the R.K.D). Theophile de Bock gives an emotional insight as he discusses his views on Maris' windmills in winter: "In aangrijpende eenzaamhein uit de sneeuw opdoemend in de donkere onheilzwangere lucht, bij elken wiekslag als kreunende over het zwaar te dragen en tandenknersend de as bewegend, geen levende ziel in de omtrek, alleen de raven vliegen rusteloos door de zware atmospheer. Heerlijk is de sonoor-lugubere toon volgehouden, diep- en ernstig het al doordringend." (Th. de Bock, op.cit. p. 89).