Bart Peizel was a fascinating artist who became one of the leading portraitists in Amsterdam. He was well-known for his ability to capture an expression - particularly through the sitter’s hands - “the hand often expresses the essence of the person depicted even more strongly than the face.”

But perhaps he was best known for his turbulent marriage to Thérèse Ansingh (1883-1968) who was also a painter. Thérèse was the niece of Thérèse Schwartze (1851-1918) - one of the greatest portraitists of her generation. Together they worked within a group of artists known collectively as the Amsterdamse Joffers. The Joffers were influenced by the French impressionists and admired for their work.

As you can imagine, the popularity of the Joffers within society at the time created plenty of mingling opportunities for Peizel who was never short of a commission. However, it also caused conflict as Peizel’s style was firmly rooted in his traditional teachings rather than the avant-garde.