Paarden bij een bomschuit op het strand 1848 - 1888

Anton Mauve made this drawing of horses by a fishing boat on the beach using graphite. In nineteenth-century Holland, fishing was a tough job, and boats like the bomschuit were the workhorses of the industry, built strong to withstand the harsh North Sea. Mauve, a leading artist of the Hague School, often depicted rural scenes, focusing on the everyday lives of ordinary people. Here, the sketch gives us just enough detail to understand the scene but leaves so much unsaid, typical of the impressionistic style, it's less about a literal depiction and more about capturing a mood or feeling. To fully appreciate Mauve's work, one might delve into archives documenting the Dutch fishing industry during his lifetime. The Hague School played an important role in Dutch art history, reflecting a broader trend in Europe towards realism and naturalism, so understanding its place within art institutions helps us understand the social contexts that shaped his vision.