Paarden bij het hek 1878

Curator: Here we see "Horses at the Gate," an 1878 oil painting by Anton Mauve, now residing here at the Rijksmuseum. Editor: Instantly, I get a melancholic vibe, almost muted. Like a memory fading into a grey afternoon. Curator: That subdued palette is typical of the Hague School, of which Mauve was a leading figure. They favoured realism and captured the Dutch landscape’s nuances and changing atmospheric conditions. Editor: I see it. It’s not just "landscape," it's a particular feeling about landscape. The tall, bare trees and those patient horses… I almost feel the damp air on my skin. Did Mauve often work en plein air? Curator: Absolutely, that was central to his practice. Like many artists associated with Impressionism, he wanted to directly capture the immediacy of nature’s effect. Also this preference, to catch light in the moment, contributed to the movement's wider goals for more open styles of picture-making and display within art institutions. Editor: Makes total sense. The bridge itself is so simply rendered, just enough to give structure to the scene without stealing the focus. Like, the scene wouldn't work as effectively without it. Curator: Notice, too, how the horses are subtly individualized. A dark, a black, and a white one… Almost emblematic of the simple pastoral life so prized at the time. And consider, the rise of art markets also shaped Mauve's career as patrons sought reassuring images of home. Editor: I can see that being soothing to urban viewers wanting connection with a more traditional, rural society. This isn’t a dramatic scene, it is subtle, personal... even in its quiet. Curator: And maybe that very lack of drama, its unpretentious quality, contributes to its lasting appeal. Mauve died only a few years later and as the teacher to Van Gogh, it seems art historians tend to treat his career like an art historical bridge, so to speak. Editor: He should stand on his own! Still, in this picture, he's captured a sense of place and peace that's very palpable. A perfect snapshot of a serene afternoon... Makes me wanna write a poem about horses by a gate.