Hendrik Willem Mesdag

Hendrik Willem Mesdag, born in Groningen, only chose the life of an artist in 1866, when he was 35. Until then, he worked in his father's banking business. He left for Brussels where he became a pupil of the painter Willem Roelofs. In 1869, Mesdag settled in The Hague and specialised in seascapes. A year later he received international recognition when one of his seascapes won a medal at the Paris Salon. His work was to receive other international awards, including awards in London and Amsterdam. His masterpiece, Panorama Mesdag, was completed in 1881.
Mesdag built up a large collection of paintings, mainly works of painters belonging to the Hague School and the Barbizon School. In 1887, he housed his collection in his own museum, next to his house, which is still open to the public today.