Dutch school (XIX) - De la brume matinale, au crépuscule imaginaire

Hello,

I am presenting a pair of paintings that are particularly representative of Northern Romanticism. These works from the 1820s/1830s revive the Golden Age of Dutch seamen by adding a dramatic atmosphere. The first painting shows a controlled nature with a calm sea and the work of sailors – it embodies the concept of the “picturesque” – while the second painting depicts a wild nature – the Romantic concept of the “sublime.” This thematic contrast between the two works was highly sought after in the bourgeois collections of the 19th century.

1- This first work, with a low horizon line, depicts an animated scene anchored in the reality of the North Sea coast. The sandy beach is the stage for meticulous and realistic human activity. In the foreground, a fisher couple advances along the water’s edge; a sailor in a blue jacket and red cap carries an oar; a woman seated sorts the fish beside wicker baskets near blocks of stone and marine debris. A large traditional Dutch fishing vessel with a heavy hull and a flat bottom suitable for beaches without ports is stranded on the sand at low tide. Its brown sails are partially slack, and a small orange flag resembling that of the United Provinces flies at the top of its mast. A second similar vessel is positioned in parallel, creating a sense of depth with others following. In the background, villagers’ silhouettes bustle around the stranded boats. Two other sails glide on calm water, their silhouettes subtly outlined against the morning fog. A sky veiled in a luminous mist of gray and pale green suggests a warm glow. The background gradually dissolves into the haze, giving a beautiful impression of atmospheric depth. At that time, these fishing villages had no harbor. It is precisely this historical reality that the painter immortalized.

2- The presence of a windmill perched improbably on a high rocky cliff facing a restless sea evokes the nature of an imaginary landscape that is called “capriccio.” In the lower part, on a brown sandy shore, three figures can be seen. To their left, a few marine debris, rounded rocks, and planks of wood lie washed up, lending realism to the scene. A steep, dark cliff juts out toward the sea. It is topped by a Dutch windmill of the “standerdmolen” type, whose blades stand out against the sky. Several fishermen’s houses and trees on the land horizon are visible. Two fishing boats with full sails navigate near the coast on a sea agitated by white-capped waves. The sky occupies nearly the upper half of the canvas. It is laden with dense clouds and dramatic tones ranging from gray-violet to pink-orange. Its color palette contrasts strongly with the dark brown mass of the cliff. The light of a setting sun suggested behind the cliff caresses the foam of the waves. A low sun hidden behind the clouds creates intense backlighting effects, particularly pronounced on the mill. A few seagulls fly over the scene to emphasize the sense of movement. The artist drew inspiration from real geographical places and precise pictorial codes to later represent this imaginary landscape. At the end of the 18th century through the early 19th century, painters composed studio scenes by mixing their memories, sketches, and artistic ideals.

This pair of paintings constitutes two very beautiful variations on the theme of coastal life of yesteryear. The first painting, tinted with “morning mist,” emphasizes the horizontal expanse of the beach, the majesty of the ships, and a subtle harmony of gray-green tones. The second painting, in an “imaginary twilight,” plays with verticality through its steep cliff and its mill in the vibrant light of a romantic late-day sky. At that time, German-D Dutch painters were fascinated by the rugged reliefs of the North Sea. The rocky island of HELIGOLAND off Germany’s coast was often frequented by artists from Northern Europe and featured steep red cliffs in the midst of a restless sea. Since June 26, 2009, certain sites of the Wadden Sea in GERMANY, the NETHERLANDS, and DENMARK have been inscribed on UNESCO’s World Heritage List. The Wadden Sea has been recognized as an UNESCO Biosphere Reserve since 1990.

Frame dimensions: 60 cm x 41 cm
Work dimensions: 46 cm x 37 cm

This pair of paintings is unsigned. Nevertheless, Wijnand NUIJEN is known for introducing imaginary coastal landscapes mixing high cliffs seen in Normandy with Dutch elements such as mills. These paintings could also be found in the style of Johannes Christiaan SCHOTEL or his son Petrus Johannes. Jacobus van der STOK is famous for his romantic animated landscapes, mills, and sunset skies.

These two oils on canvas, preserving the “charm of the old,” have two centuries of existence and remain in very good condition after careful restoration. The works have been cleaned and mounted on canvas-backed panels, and a satin UV-resistant varnish by WINSON and NEWTON was applied by a professional. Two identical old frames have been added (glued and nailed).

These two works, ready to hang, fully belong to the Romantic movement of Northern Europe in the first half of the 19th century.