Piet van den Bergh (1865-1950) - Cavalerie in het Veld (No Reserve)

Artist: Piet van den Bergh (1865–1950)
Title: Cavalry in the Field
Technique and support: gouache on paper
Dimensions: 44.5 × 67 cm; with frame 56.5 × 79 cm
Signature: hand-signed bottom left

Piet van den Bergh was a Dutch painter, born in 1865 in The Hague and died there in 1950. His active period encompasses the late 19th century and the first half of the 20th century.

Object description

The scene shows soldiers among saddled horses in a vegetated landscape. In the center is a soldier in a blue uniform with reddish-brown and white details and a dark headdress. On the right, a second figure is partly obscured by a horse’s head. To the left, a further soldier positioned further back and other horses. Reins, saddles and kit are indicated with separate color gestures. A dark horse dominates a large portion of the right half of the image. The background consists of green foliage and a light sky; the ground is depicted in ochre, brown, green and pinkish tones. The brown signature appears bottom left.

Technique and material analysis

The gouache on paper combines thin, translucent color fields with opaque accents. Especially the white details on uniforms, tackle and horse legs are emphatically applied. Broad, irregular brushstrokes form the ground and vegetation; narrower touches articulate faces, equipment and contours. In several passages fine drawn lines remain readable alongside and beneath the color fields.

Composition and form analysis

The group is arranged asymmetrically, with the greatest visual weight in the center and to the right. Overlaps between horses and figures, scale differences and the lighter treatment on the left suggest spatial depth. The repetition of horse legs and standing figures creates a vertical rhythm within the horizontal format. Blue uniforms contrast with the warm browns of the horses. White touches place scattered highlights, while the dark right group stands out against the lighter ground and sky.

Stylistic and art-historical context

The loose brushwork, the summary treatment of figures and landscape, and the alternation of worked-out and open passages align with the painterly approach of the Hague School. Within this stylistic context, the contrast between the bright blue uniforms and the earth tones is notable. The scene retains a sketch-like character through broken contours and individually readable strokes.

Comparable artists

George Hendrik Breitner, Isaac Israels, Anton Mauve, Eugène Lami, Édouard Detaille

Condition

The paper shows slight discoloration. The frame has localized wear and small damages at the corners and edges.

Conclusion

Cavalry in the Field is a signed gouache in which a military group of figures and landscape are linked through loose color touches and overlaps. The formal characteristics align with the Hague School; a precise date of creation has not been established. The material condition is characterized by light paper discoloration and localized damage to the frame.

The work "Cavalry in the Field" is housed in a gold-colored wooden frame behind glass

Total dimensions: 56.5 × 79 cm
Visible media dimensions: 44.5 × 67 cm

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