Mesdag settled in The Hague, near to Scheveningen, where he braved wind and weather to paint his beloved sea. As a rule, he painted everyday scenes on the coast. This scene of the return of the lifeboat differs from his other seascapes because of its dramatic subject. On the left of the canvas, women and children gather around the cart where five rescued fishermen are seated. To the right, the lifeboat is being hauled ashore. Tension can be felt in the group of people standing close together, and this is emphasised by the threatening, storm-swept sky above the red glow of the distant setting sun.
Specifications
| Title | The return of the life boat |
|---|---|
| Material and technique | Oil on canvas |
| Object type |
Painting
> Painting
> Two-dimensional object
> Art object
|
| Location | This object is in storage |
| Dimensions |
Height 97 cm Width 157 cm Depth 3 cm |
|---|---|
| Artists |
Painter:
Hendrik Willem Mesdag
|
| Accession number | 1514 (MK) |
| Credits | From the estate of J.A. Bekker-la Bastide, 1961 |
| Department | Modern Art |
| Acquisition date | 1961 |
| Creation date | in 1876 |
| External exhibitions |
Boijmans bij de Buren - Maritieme Meesters (2021) |
| Material | |
| Object | |
| Geographical origin | The Netherlands > Western Europe > Europe |
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All about the artist
Hendrik Willem Mesdag
Groningen 1831 - Den Haag 1915
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...
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