Six Overlooked Dutch Modernists: From Mesdag's Panorama to Toorop's Slaolistijl
The Netherlands, the home of Vincent van Gogh, has also nurtured contemporary artists essential to its cultural landscape. This summary highlights six notable individuals: Hendrik Willem Mesdag (1831-1915), originally a merchant, gained recognition for his Panorama of Scheveningen (1881) and the Mesdag Collection. George Hendrik Breitner (1857-1923) captured the essence of Amsterdam, having trained at various art academies, influencing pieces such as The Singel Bridge at the Paleisstraat (1896). Richard Roland Holst (1868-1938), an SDAP member, was a multifaceted artist celebrated for his murals depicting labor history. Johann Georg van Caspel (1870-1928) was a trailblazer in commercial Art Nouveau. Isaac Israëls (1865-1934) concentrated on portraits and urban life in Amsterdam. Jan Toorop (1858-1928) explored diverse styles and played a key role in popularizing Art Nouveau in the Netherlands.
Key facts
- Hendrik Willem Mesdag (1831-1915) quit his merchant job to train as an artist in Brussels in 1866.
- The Mesdag Collection, owned by the state since 1903, is housed at De Mesdag Collectie in The Hague.
- Mesdag's Panorama of Scheveningen (1881) is a 360-degree painting, still in its original location.
- George Hendrik Breitner (1857-1923) briefly worked with Vincent van Gogh in 1882.
- Breitner's painting The Singel Bridge at the Paleisstraat (1896) shows photographic cropping.
- Richard Roland Holst (1868-1938) became a professor of art history at the Rijksacademie in 1918.
- Holst designed the catalog cover for an 1892 Van Gogh exhibition.
- Johann Georg van Caspel (1870-1928) was the first commercial artist with a permanent position at Senefelder printers in 1896.
- Isaac Israëls (1865-1934) painted a series of portraits featuring Van Gogh's Sunflowers between 1915-20.
- Jan Toorop (1858-1928) designed the poster for the 1898 National Exhibition of Women's Labour.
- Toorop's lithograph for Delft salad oil led to Art Nouveau being called 'slaolistijl' in the Netherlands.
Entities
Artists
- Hendrik Willem Mesdag
- Sientje van Houten
- George Hendrik Breitner
- Bernard Blommers
- Théophile de Bock
- Richard Roland Holst
- William Morris
- Vincent van Gogh
- Henriëtte van der Schalk
- Johann Georg van Caspel
- Isaac Israëls
- Jozef Israëls
- Johanna van Gogh-Bonger
- Jan Toorop
- Claude Monet
- Paul Gauguin
- Willem Witsen
Institutions
- Museum Panorama Mesdag
- De Mesdag Collectie
- Rijksakademie van Beeldende Kunsten
- Académie Cormon
- Hague Academy
- Senefelder
- Social Democratic Workers' Party (SDAP)
- Trade Union Museum
- Rijksmuseum
- Van Gogh Museum
- Kunstmuseum
- Simonis & Buunk Art Gallery
- Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
- RKD Research
Locations
- Netherlands
- The Hague
- Scheveningen
- Brussels
- Rotterdam
- Amsterdam
- Paris
- Java
- Indonesia
- France
- Belgium
- Ede
- Boston