Adrianus Hendrikus de Bruine was an astute Dutch painter of landscapes. Training initially as a lawyer, his artistic prowess was seemingly self-propelled and, given this, the quality of his work is quite remarkable.

Born in 1807, his formative years were spent amid the rise of Romanticism whereby artists sought to emphasise the capacity of one’s imagination. Drama, emotion, and spirit were favoured over the cold formulaic rigour of Classicism. As such, he often enlivened his portrayals of nature with a sense of grandeur - an incoming storm, light breaking through imposing clouds, gnarled oak trees, an enchanting distant horizon. There’s a sense of poetry to his brush as if each mark is underpinned by iambic pentameter.

He’s often compared with one of the foremost proponents of Dutch Romanticism, Barend Cornelis Koekkoek (1803-1862), which is no surprise as, for two decades, they were inspired by the same scenery - that of Cleves in Germany. De Bruine moved to Cleves in 1845, joining Koekkoek who had already established himself. Explaining his migration, Koekkoek wrote, “our fatherland boasts no rocks, waterfalls, high mountains or romantic valleys. Proud, sublime nature is not to be found in our land”.

Cleves became an artistic Utopia - offering rivers, panoramic views, majestic peaks and dense forests, everything a Romantic painter could wish for. Its focal point was the Rhine with its sublime drama and picturesque idylls - such was its beauty that it inspired Koekkoek to publish a study guide based upon its journey. It’s likely that de Bruine was aware of this guide and entirely plausible that the pair knew each other well.

Here, in this piece from around 1860, de Bruine’s skill as a colourist is evident. There’s a buoyancy to the light effects, which bring emphasis to the foliage and gently elevate the distant architecture. The form of the trees, with their vigorous glow, is both striking and exaggerated - with the lean of the central oak echoed by the figure. It’s an intelligent piece, composed superbly well.

Adrianus Hendrikus de Bruine exhibited in Amsterdam and The Hague for over thirty years and was a member of ‘Arti et Amicitiae’. He’s represented at the Rijksmuseum.

Exhibited

The Hague and in Amsterdam.

Public Collections

Rijksmuseum. 

Timeline

1807

Born in Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

1827

Travelled to France.

1832-1868

Numerous exhibitions in Amsterdam and The Hague.

1845-1869

Lived in Cleves, Germany.

1848-1850

Lived in Paris.

1869

Lived in Arnhem.

1870

Died in Arnhem.