This mid-20th-century oil painting by Belgian artist Carlo Van Her (1884-1960) depicts a breezy impressionistic coastal scene at Mariakerke, Flanders.
Under a rapidly moving changeable sky, the breakers crash. It’s teeming with rain, yet through a gap in the clouds, the sun illuminates a golden channel. Van Her’s free technique renders the view in diagonal planes with the composition emphasising the direction of the wind. While vertical sheets of mist suggest heavy showers.
We’ve all witnessed this weather but it’s challenging to paint. By doing less, the artist achieves more. He’s encouraging us to use our imagination - placing us upon the beach itself.
Signed/dated lower right and framed.
Medium: Oil on wood
Overall size: 45” x 29” / 115cm x 74cm
Year of creation: 1945
Labels & Inscriptions: Inscribed on reverse.
Condition: Artwork presents well. Minor abrasion in the top left but doesn’t distract. Frame with some wear.
Carlo Van Her
Carlo Van Her trained under Jean Delville later at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts, Brussels. He exhibited at the Salon. His works are held in numerous public collections including at the museums of Tournai and Antwerp.
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