Albert Roelofs (1877-1920) - Stilleven van vis

Albert Roelofs (1877-1920). Large early still life of fish. Painting dimensions 70x120 centimeters. Oil on canvas. Signed and dated (18)98. The painting shows signs of age and use. It concerns an early work by this well-known painter.

Note: the depicted frame is not part of the auction. It is offered for free to the highest bidder but only if they come to pick up the painting. This is because the frame is too large (140x90 cm) to ship.

Intense and rare early work by the Dutch artist Albert Roelofs, painted in 1898. This powerful fish still life dates from the early years of his career, before he gained national fame with his refined interiors and elegant figure paintings.
On a rustic table, several fish and fish parts are loosely arranged, depicted in a rich palette of warm ochre, brown and gold tones. The painter already shows a remarkable sense of atmosphere, light, and material expression here. With a loose, confident brushwork he convincingly captures the sheen of the fish skin, the texture of the flesh, and the subtle reflections in the still life. The composition is painted in the tradition of Dutch 17th-century kitchen- and market-still lifes and simultaneously possesses a modern, impressionist freedom that would characterize Roelofs’ later oeuvre. Early works by Albert Roelofs are rare on the market and offer a fascinating glimpse into the development of an artist who would later become one of the most beloved Hague painters of his generation.