This late-19th-century oil painting by Dutch artist Alexander Hieronymus Bakhuyzen (1826-1878) depicts a landscape with a cottage, figures and cattle. Bakhuyzen was an accomplished painter/etcher and the nephew of distinguished artist and art teacher, Hendrik van de Sande Bakhuyzen (1795-1860).

Without question, the Dutch landscape artists of the 17th century were conspicuous for their mastery. Luminaries such as Jan van Goyen (1596-1656), Jan Dirksz Both (1618-1652), Jacob van Ruisdael (1628/9-1682) and Meindert Hobbema (1638-1709) reimagined the way nature could be portrayed. In turn, paving the way for future generations who were captivated by their spell.

The Dutch had a unique advantage, during the 17th century, flourishing cities such as Amsterdam and Haarlem were alive with new wealth. Merchants flooded in from overseas and created a buoyant economy perfect for the arts. But unlike many other European cities, artists working here were not constrained by the wishes of the Catholic Church - hence the emergence of secular art, such as rural scenes depicting everyday life.

During the early 19th century, the advent of Romanticism led to a re-emergence of their ideas. Composition, light effects, and atmosphere were carefully studied in academies with a view to paying homage to the virtuosity of the ‘Golden Age’. Their influence even crossed international boundaries, with English artists also taking note - often acquiring old engravings and etchings in an effort to hone their techniques.

Alexander Hieronymus Bakhuyzen, along with his uncle Hendrik, and cousin Julius, worked in the shadow of van Ruisdael and Hobbema. Combining their formulaic grandeur with a greater sense of naturalism. The old masters were rarely exacting in their depictions, often bringing various elements together to create an imagined outcome. Whereas the Bakhuyzens introduced a little more reality, a recognizable representation of the natural world.

Alexander was born at The Hague and during his formative years, travelled to North Brabant, apparently with a preacher known as ‘Gravesteyn’. He later moved to Serooskerke and in 1868, to Middleburg. Little is known of his personal life but it’s said that his career was somewhat hindered by a heavy drinking habit, which ultimately led to his death, following a fall in 1878.

Here, in a tranquil work from around 1870, a child and family member, both in clogs, are conversing on a winding track adjacent to a pond or river. A cottage nestled into foliage stands beyond. Cattle amble slowly, illuminated by light passing through clouds. It’s typical of his better works and reminiscent stylistically of Roelof Jansz van Vries (1631-1681) and Meindert Hobbema.

Alexander Hieronymus Bakhuyzen is represented in numerous public collections including at the Kunstmuseum Den Haag and the Courtauld Institute of Art in London.

Signed in the lower left and framed.

Learn more about Alexander Hieronymus Bakhuyzen in our directory.

Medium: Oil on canvas
Overall size: 28½” x 23” / 73cm x 58cm
Year of creation: c. 1870
Provenance: Private collection, Germany.
Condition: Assessed and approved by our conservator. Cleaned. Canvas relined. Fine and settled craquelure, as you would expect. The paint layer is stable. Frame with light marks and signs of age.
Artist’s auction maximum: £5,000 for ‘Figures Chatting on a Towpath Beside Windmill’, Oil on canvas, Sotheby’s, London, 1986 (lot 193).
Our reference: BRV1898