Station: [14] Room 9 – Koekkoek Family of Painters

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Following Barend Cornelis‘s forest landscapes and the seascapes by his father, Johannes Hermanus, here’s a selection of other subjects:

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In the second half of the 19th century, Willem Koekkoek, Barend Cornelis‘s nephew in Amsterdam, created city views – or vedute – in which reality and imagination merged to produce anecdotal everyday scenes. He was not a member of the artistic avant-garde, but his atmospheric views sold well. In England in particular, which was an industrialised country by this time, people appreciated his equally quirky and idyllic snapshots.

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His son, Hermanus Willem Koekkoek, spent a great many years in London. He made a name for himself as a painter of military subjects, and as a draughtsman at court – in the days before photography was permitted there. From the London art dealership of his uncle, Hermanus Junior, the Koekkoek family’s paintings successfully made their way around the entire western world.

In the table display case, you’ll find Hermanus Willem’s box of oil paints on show. The caricature next to it shows him in front of his easel, wearing slippers and a night-cap – a gently teasing portrayal by his daughter.

Hermanus Willem died in 1929. With him and his daughter, who was also active in the fine arts, the artistic dynasty of the Koekkoeks came to an end.

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The room opposite is devoted to the creative process that precedes each and every impressive oil painting – the preparatory studies, sketches and lithographs.