Dirk Filarski (1885-1964) - Bosgezicht

This oil on canvas painting from 1922 by Dirk Filarski (1885–1964) shows a densely grown forest landscape. The composition is dominated by a few tall, irregularly branched trees, whose trunks and branches extend in a lively rhythm across the picture plane. Especially the large tree to the right of center, with its curved trunk and broad, spreading crown, forms a strong vertical accent.
The palette mainly consists of subdued green, olive, ocher and gray tones, pierced by striking orange-red accents in the trunks and branches. Filarski built the vegetation out of broad, clearly visible brushstrokes and locally impastoed paint. This gives the trees and shrubs a strongly tangible texture, while individual shapes partly merge into one another. Signed lower right Filarski and dated ’48.
Dimensions: 50 × 40 cm. From a Dutch private collection.

Biographie kunstenaar
Dirk Herman Willem Filarski (Amsterdam, 1885 – Zeist, 1964) was a Dutch painter, draftsman and graphic artist and is closely associated with the Bergense School. He studied at the Rijksakademie van beeldende kunsten in Amsterdam and from the early twentieth century worked regularly in Bergen. His early landscapes show a luminist use of color; later he developed a stronger and more expressionist painting style with pronounced brushwork and highly simplified forms. Filarski was particularly fond of travel and worked extensively in other parts of Europe and North Africa in addition to the Netherlands. Especially his stays in Switzerland between 1912 and 1917 were decisive for his development. Museum Kranenburgh devoted in 2025–2026 an overview exhibition with more than seventy works to his oeuvre. Stedelijk Museum Alkmaar also represents Filarski within its collection and presentation of the Bergense School.