Brick et Barques à l'embouchure d'un fleuve, temps couvert, Antwerpen - De Schelde

As the artist grew up around Maassluis near the water, the boats and the damp climate of the Low Countries drew Jongkind and inspired him. The ever changing clouds and the fog covered landscape, the movement of ships and the changing of the seasons were a constant challenge and source of inspiration. This fascination led the artist to express himself at first through watercolour. This medium held for the artist the possibility to render a mood to paper in a sure and simple way. His first tutor, Andreas Schelfhout (1787-1870), took his students into the open outdoors. Schelfhout himself never broke with the romantic tradition but did teach his students to work every medium to its fullest potential. It is because of him that Jongkind had a steady and self assured hand and always knew how to balance his colours and subject. His greatest contribution to the career of the artist was the introduction to the French artist Eugene Isabey (1803-1886). The latter had asked him to select one of his most promising students so that he could offer him a place in his atelier. So in 1846, with a stipend from H.R.H. the Prince of Orange, later King William III, Jongkind joined Isabey in Paris and accompanied him to Normandy. The west coast of France would remain a source of inspiration to him for the rest of his life and he returned there many times. He exhibited at the Salon in 1848, and again in 1852, where he received a medal.
In the period 1855-1860 the artist lived in Rotterdam and was said to have led a debauched life there. His work didn't suffer noticeably and through the French art dealer Martin his work found its way back to Paris. Martin would be instrumental in bringing the artist back to France. He organized an auction and ninety artists contributed work to raise funds for the return of their friend. At first Jongkind was hesitant to go back and was afraid of bad reviews and the criticism that had driven him away the first time. Martin took him in at first and later he met his companion, Josephine Fresser. She took care of him and provided him with the ideal circumstances for a productive artistic career. He chose his subjects on the banks of the Seine and in other picturesque old quarters of Paris, on the sea coast of Normandy and on the Dutch canals. Refused at the Salon of 1863, he joined in the Salon des Refusés, and made the acquaintance of Claude Monet. His rendering of atmosphere and his study of fleeting effects of light and reflections made him a pioneer of Impressionism. Though his oil pictures were not painted directly from nature, and are carefully arranged compositions, his drawings and watercolours were done out of doors.

The present lot dates from 1866. The period between 1860 and 1875 is considered to be the most important period in the artist's creative life. In colour, texture and atmosphere it includes every element of the renowned artist's creative hand. In August-October in 1866 the artist traveled North to Belgium and Holland. During his visit on 22nd of September he wrote to Martin: "J'ai été quelques temps a Bruxelles et me voila a Anvers. J'ai fait quelques dessins a Bruxelles, mais je pense surtout que celle d'Anvers sont mieux réussis. C'est un port de mer situé a l'Escaut ou les navires arrivent directement de toutes sortes de nationaux, a cela c'est comme au Havre, seulement la nature a un autre aspect. J'ai dèja une vingtaine , de dessins et aquarelles, mais le temps est toujours a la pluie, pour ainsi dire il ne s'est passé pas un jour sans qu'il pleuvait. (see: V. Hefting, Jongkind, Sa vie son oeuvre son poque, Geneva, 1975, p. 359.)
As mentioned by the artist in his lettre the present lot depicts the harbour of Antwerp under a cloudy sky.