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Lot Essay
By the 1890's Mesdag was very well established in the national and international art world. In order to be closer to the sea he moved to The Hague and took an atelier with a view of the sea. Mesdag made studies of the bommen on the beach, of the picturesque fishing-town of Scheveningen and its inhabitants. The present lot is one of his finest early sea paintings with its precise and fine brushstrokes. Here we see a fishing-vessel that has just arrived and is being unloaded by the crew. A group of fisherwomen is helping to sort the daily catch. In the foreground the magnificent large blue sky and the ship's sails are beautifully reflected in a pool on the beach.
The international career of the Dutch artist Hendrik Willem Mesdag really started with the gold medal he received at the Salon de Paris in 1870. He exhibited two paintings in Paris, Les Brisants de la Mer du Nord and Une journee d'hiver a Scheveningen. Mesdag himself was very pleased with Une journee d'hiver a Scheveningen and thought it would be a success in Paris. However, he received the golden medal for Les Brisants de la mer du Nord.
One of the members of the Jury was so impressed by this painting that he bought it for 2500 Francs. Stimulated by his success in Paris and his love for the sea, Mesdag focused on the North Sea and the fisherman there. A period of great recognition began. Following his Parisian medal he received a medal from the municipality of The Hague and one from the city of Lyon and art critics baptised him 'le pohte de la Mer du Nord'.
The international career of the Dutch artist Hendrik Willem Mesdag really started with the gold medal he received at the Salon de Paris in 1870. He exhibited two paintings in Paris, Les Brisants de la Mer du Nord and Une journee d'hiver a Scheveningen. Mesdag himself was very pleased with Une journee d'hiver a Scheveningen and thought it would be a success in Paris. However, he received the golden medal for Les Brisants de la mer du Nord.
One of the members of the Jury was so impressed by this painting that he bought it for 2500 Francs. Stimulated by his success in Paris and his love for the sea, Mesdag focused on the North Sea and the fisherman there. A period of great recognition began. Following his Parisian medal he received a medal from the municipality of The Hague and one from the city of Lyon and art critics baptised him 'le pohte de la Mer du Nord'.