A view of Blaricum

The present lot was painted around the turn of the century, which could also be seen as a turning point in Hart Nibbrig’s oeuvre. In his earlier years he would paint many social portrayals of human life, made with a range of dark colours and flat brushwork. These dark colours turn into bright and vibrant colours at the beginning of the 1890s, probably after having seen the work of Vincent van Gogh.

Then, with his move to Laren in 1894, he also develops an interest in a whole new genre: landscape painting. In contrast to many other artists, this did not imply a stylistic development, both themes and related styles can be found in his works throughout the rest his of his career.

Around 1895 Hart Nibbrig begins experimenting with the pointillist technique, for which he became so famous. This technique was important to achieve his objective 'the rendering of all forms of light', but he considered it of lesser importance and handled it with a feeling of freedom. The present lot shows how close he was in reaching his goal: the desire to capture the light.

The present lot is one of the highlights of Hart Nibbrig's work at the turn of the century. The painting is one of the best examples of his desire 'to paint the blazing of the summer sun'. The capture of the light, as well as the view of Blaricum in the distance makes this painting a special and timeless document of Dutch Neo-impressionism and of the oeuvre of the artist.