Théophile de Bock (1851 - 1904) - Landschap

This landscape by Théophile de Bock (1851–1904) shows an open, ruggedly vegetated terrain bounded in the background by a dark group of trees. On the right, a sandy or country road turns into the trees, creating a clear depth line. The low horizon gives the moving sky a prominent place within the composition.

The painting is built up of subdued earth tones—greenish-brown and brown—contrasted with gray-blue, cream-yellow, and softly ochre-toned areas in the sky. The trees are rendered as dark, almost continuous silhouettes. In the foreground the paint is applied loosely and broadly; in the sky, individual horizontal brushstrokes remain clearly visible. The strong contrast between the dark terrain and the lighter evening sky determines the atmosphere of the work. Craquelé is visible across the paint surface.

Executed in oil on canvas, marouflaged on panel, circa 25 × 35 cm; with frame about 41 × 51 cm. On the reverse there is an old label bearing the inscription “Th. T.A. de Bock. 1851–1904. Paneel 35 x 25½ cm. Landschap.” The work is placed in a handmade, richly ornamented frame.

Provenance: private collection, F. de V., Eindhoven. Originating from the collection of her father, a art collector who assembled his collection around 1930–1960. Subsequently by inheritance passed to his daughter and since then in private ownership.

Artist biography
Théophile Emile Achille de Bock (1851–1904) was a Dutch landscape painter who is considered part of the Hague School. Landscapes with forests, sandy roads, riverbanks, and the surroundings of the Veluwezoom form a significant portion of his oeuvre. De Bock contributed to Panorama Mesdag, for which he painted the sky and dune scenes. In 1891 he was co-founder and chairman of the Haagsche Kunstkring and organized there the first overview exhibition of Vincent van Gogh. His work was collected internationally already during his lifetime, especially in the United States and Canada. The Rijksmuseum owns several works by De Bock, including Bosgezicht and Een schaapskooi bij avondlicht. In 2025, in collaboration with the RKD, the first monograph on his oeuvre appeared, and at Kasteel Doorwerth an overview exhibition dedicated to his work was presented.