Lot Essay
Jacob Maris' passion for landscape painting was awakened during his visits to the artists colony Oosterbeek around 1860. In 1865 Maris moved to Paris where he stayed until 1871. During this period he initially painted very marketable genre works, the so called Italiennes (see lot 145), but was later influenced by the Barbizon School of landscape painters.
On his return from Paris, the artist focused his attention on the surroundings of The Hague. This move back to his native town proved to be a turning point in his career. Inspired by the painters he had met in Oosterbeek and the work of the Barbizon School, Maris developed into a leading figure within the Hague School and was widely acclaimed for his impressionist renderings of towns. He instigated a new direction in Dutch painting by the strength of his compositions, uncomplicated use of colour, dramatic lighting, and above all, his broad and confident handling of paint.
Jacob Maris work was very 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 modelled with a mingled subtlety and strength that perhaps no other modern artist attained.' (see: E.G.C., 'James Maris', in: The Art Journal, April 1900, p. 111).
Jacob Maris used the distinctive white wooden bridge in Rijswijk for a series of paintings produced in the 1870's and 1880's. The composition of 'De Brug' painted in 1879 and kept in the collection of the Rijksmuseum Amsterdam (fig. 3) is strikingly similar to the present painting apart from some remarkable details. The windmill is absent and the figure in the boat seems to be busy with his pipe rather than looking at the girl carrying milk-cans. Individual details are apparently secondary to the overall layout of pictorial elements.
There has been some debate concerning the year in which the present painting was made. When the painting was exhibited at the 'Eere Tentoonstelling' at Arti et Amicitiae in December 1899, one catalogue suggests it was painted in 1872 which would make it a very early version indeed. In one catalogue, with charming annotations by the art historian Jan Veth, a question mark is visible next to the date. Considering that in most other catalogues the date 1895 is used, we should conclude that it is most probable that the present work was painted in 1895.
Further versions of this exceptionally strong composition are held in important American collections. A version executed in 1872 was acquired by Mr John G. Johnson who bequeathed it to the Philadelphia Museum of Art (fig. 1). Moreover, a large work painted around 1885 has been in the Frick Collection, New York (fig. 2), since 1914 following its sale at Christie's in 1910.
On his return from Paris, the artist focused his attention on the surroundings of The Hague. This move back to his native town proved to be a turning point in his career. Inspired by the painters he had met in Oosterbeek and the work of the Barbizon School, Maris developed into a leading figure within the Hague School and was widely acclaimed for his impressionist renderings of towns. He instigated a new direction in Dutch painting by the strength of his compositions, uncomplicated use of colour, dramatic lighting, and above all, his broad and confident handling of paint.
Jacob Maris work was very 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 modelled with a mingled subtlety and strength that perhaps no other modern artist attained.' (see: E.G.C., 'James Maris', in: The Art Journal, April 1900, p. 111).
Jacob Maris used the distinctive white wooden bridge in Rijswijk for a series of paintings produced in the 1870's and 1880's. The composition of 'De Brug' painted in 1879 and kept in the collection of the Rijksmuseum Amsterdam (fig. 3) is strikingly similar to the present painting apart from some remarkable details. The windmill is absent and the figure in the boat seems to be busy with his pipe rather than looking at the girl carrying milk-cans. Individual details are apparently secondary to the overall layout of pictorial elements.
There has been some debate concerning the year in which the present painting was made. When the painting was exhibited at the 'Eere Tentoonstelling' at Arti et Amicitiae in December 1899, one catalogue suggests it was painted in 1872 which would make it a very early version indeed. In one catalogue, with charming annotations by the art historian Jan Veth, a question mark is visible next to the date. Considering that in most other catalogues the date 1895 is used, we should conclude that it is most probable that the present work was painted in 1895.
Further versions of this exceptionally strong composition are held in important American collections. A version executed in 1872 was acquired by Mr John G. Johnson who bequeathed it to the Philadelphia Museum of Art (fig. 1). Moreover, a large work painted around 1885 has been in the Frick Collection, New York (fig. 2), since 1914 following its sale at Christie's in 1910.