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Lot Essay
Born in Amsterdam in 1812, Wouterus Verschuur began his artistic education in the studios of Pieter Gerardus van Os and Cornelis Steffelar and later worked with Cornelis Springer, Peter Christ and Cornelis van Bolt. Verschuur exhibited regularly from 1828 to 1872 in Amsterdam, Leuwarden and The Hague. In 1831 and 1832, he was awarded the Felix Meritis Prize and became a member of the Royal Academy in Amsterdam in 1833. He was well-respected and admired by his peers for his technical skill and he taught a number of successful artists, most notably Anton Mauve.
Verschuur was primarily a painter of equestrian scenes and he delighted in capturing the power and beauty of working horses in rustic locations. His technique is very much indebted to the 17th century Dutch master Phillips Wouwerman and he shares the older painter's understanding of the fluidity of a horse's movement.
Verschuur's reputation as an artist was based on his remarkable attention to detail which enabled him to capture reality within his compositions. In the present work, Verschuur demonstrates his superior draftsmanship in the delineation of the three horses which form the focal point of the composition. His use of color to create light and shadow adds depth to the busy scene outside the farrier’s. A shaft of sunlight illuminates the white horse, the dogs and the central figures, bringing into sharp focus the artist's extraordinary ability to capture the movement of the animals and the interactions of a complex figural group set into a detailed courtyard interior.
Verschuur was primarily a painter of equestrian scenes and he delighted in capturing the power and beauty of working horses in rustic locations. His technique is very much indebted to the 17th century Dutch master Phillips Wouwerman and he shares the older painter's understanding of the fluidity of a horse's movement.
Verschuur's reputation as an artist was based on his remarkable attention to detail which enabled him to capture reality within his compositions. In the present work, Verschuur demonstrates his superior draftsmanship in the delineation of the three horses which form the focal point of the composition. His use of color to create light and shadow adds depth to the busy scene outside the farrier’s. A shaft of sunlight illuminates the white horse, the dogs and the central figures, bringing into sharp focus the artist's extraordinary ability to capture the movement of the animals and the interactions of a complex figural group set into a detailed courtyard interior.