Brief aan Pieter Haverkorn van Rijsewijk Possibly 1902

This is Willem Maris's letter to Pieter Haverkorn van Rijsewijk, penned in 1902. Maris, born in The Hague in 1844, came from a family of artists who were part of the Hague School. This letter gives us a sense of the social networks of artists in the Netherlands at the turn of the century. Maris discusses relatives and his artistic formation. His discussion of his family is also a subtle acknowledgement of the role familial connections had in the art world. In his paintings, Maris often depicted scenes of Dutch rural life, showing the influence of the Hague School's emphasis on naturalism and capturing the atmosphere of the landscape. This intimate letter provides a glimpse into the personal connections behind those aesthetic choices, reminding us that art is always deeply intertwined with the social and cultural experiences of its creators.