
Grazing cows in a marshy pasture, a fan of sunlight. Ducks in a pond, splashing along the water’s edge. No place captures the familiar image of the Dutch landscape quite like the paintings of the Hague School. Willem Maris (1844-1910) was one of the most prominent artists of this influential Dutch art movement of the 19th century. He was also the only one who truly embraced impressionism, using bold colors and a loose brushstroke.
Maris depicted the simple life of farmers with broad, impressionistic brushstrokes, giving his paintings a vibrant quality. “I do not paint cows, but rather light effects,” Maris once said. Although he had been featured in many exhibitions, the Gemeentemuseum Den Haag had the honor of presenting the first posthumous solo exhibition of this lyrical interpreter of the Dutch landscape in the winter of 2012.
The exhibition showcases the development of the young and talented Maris who became one of the most important and prolific representatives of the Hague School. Maris had been working outside in the countryside since his early childhood. His older brothers, Jacob and Matthijs, were also painters. However, Willem was the only one of the three brothers to experience success and fame throughout his career. He maintained friendships with Anton Mauve and Hendrik Willem Mesdag, and together they founded the Hollandsche Teeken-Maatschappij in 1876.
www.ftn-books.com has several pubications on Willem Maris available.
