Strand bij avond 1890

Jacob Maris painted this evocative oil on canvas titled 'Strand bij avond,' or 'Beach at Evening,' sometime before his death in 1899. The work typifies the Hague School's interest in capturing the somber, atmospheric qualities of the Dutch landscape and the lives of its working class. Maris, along with other Hague School painters, reacted against the rigid academic style of the day, turning instead to the Barbizon School for inspiration. Unlike the French painters, however, the Hague School artists focused less on the idyllic and more on the harsh realities of rural life in the Netherlands. Here, the muted palette and the solitary figure wading into the sea with his horse speak to the challenges of existence on the coast. By studying the exhibition history of this painting, and Maris' relationships with art dealers, we can better understand its place in the art market of the late 19th century. Ultimately, paintings like this serve as valuable documents, reflecting the social and economic conditions of their time.