Hendrik Willem Mesdag (1831-1915)

'Avondstemming' / Fisherwomen welcoming the return of the fleet at the beach of Scheveningen

signed 'H W Mesdag' (lower right)

watercolour on paper, 51,5x72,5 cm

Literature:
-Johan Poort, 'Hendrik Willem Mesdag (1831-1915), Oeuvrecatalogus', Wassenaar 1989, colour ill. p. 430 and ill. no. A30.10 on p. 445, as: 'Avondstemming'.
-Pieter A. Scheen, 'Lexicon Nederlandse Beeldende Kunstenaars 1750-1880', The Hague 1981, colour ill. no. 603, as: 'Avondstemming'.

Provenance:
-With Kunsthandel Pieter A. Scheen, The Hague.

This seascape at dusk is a beautiful Mesdag that was once part of the collection of the prominent The Hague-based art dealer, Pieter Scheen. His popular Lexicon of Dutch Visual Artists 1750-1950 is still today a standard work of reference for the Dutch visual Arts. One or more pieces of work by the more important artists are depicted in this book, each time one of their best pieces – a typical example of that artist’s work.

He included the watercolour that is now part of the auction in his book which implies that he considered it to be representative of the work of one of the leaders of the Hague School, Hendrik Willem Mesdag. And rightly so. Mesdag was, and still is famous for his turbulent seas, but also his calm evening scenes, such as this piece. The sun has just set and the fishing boats are returning with their catch. The fisherwomen are standing, waiting on the sandflat, and to the left of the painting the anchor-man is wading out into the sea, perhaps to take the anchor or to help the helmsman. A scene from a time long ago, timeless by its serenity.

A Distinguished Collection: lots 59-92.