Ships at night

Ships from The Netherlands

Daatselaar Fine Art & Antiques
Premier Seller
“Ships at Night” captures the solemn and tranquil beauty of the sea at night. A group of fishing boats rests on calm waters, silhouetted against a dark and overcast sky.

The dramatic, brooding clouds are rendered in swirling, textured brushstrokes, evoking the atmospheric tension of the transition from day to night. Subtle hints of light peek through the clouds, creating a soft contrast with the dark tones that dominate the scene. One boat stands out with a faintly illuminated interior, its light reflecting gently on the water, hinting at life and activity amidst the stillness.

Born in Groningen, Netherlands, Mesdag initially pursued a career in banking before dedicating himself fully to art at the age of 35. He studied at the Académie des Beaux-Arts in Brussels under Willem Roelofs, who influenced his early works. Mesdag gained widespread recognition with his painting “The Breakers of the North Sea,” which earned him a gold medal at the Paris Salon of 1870. He became a leading figure of the Hague School, a group of artists known for their realistic and atmospheric depictions of landscapes and everyday life.

One of Mesdag’s most famous works is the “Panorama Mesdag,” a massive cylindrical painting created in 1881 that provides a 360-degree view of the sea, dunes, and the fishing village of Scheveningen. This immersive work, measuring 14 meters high and 120 meters in circumference, remains a significant tourist attraction in the Mesdag Museum in The Hague. The museum was originally part of Mesdag’s residence and studio, which he built in 1887. It offers an intimate glimpse into the life and tastes of Hendrik Willem Mesdag and his wife Sientje van Houten Mesdag, showcasing not only their own artworks but also pieces they admired and collected.

Mesdag had a profound connection with the bomschuit, a traditional Dutch fishing boat, which became a recurrent subject in his works. The bomschuit, designed for the treacherous waters of the North Sea, was characterized by its flat bottom, allowing it to be easily hauled onto the beach. Mesdag’s fascination with bomschuiten is evident in his numerous paintings and sketches depicting these boats.
Origin and period
Dutch private collection since ca 100 years
Name
Ships at night
Makers
H.W. Mesdag (creator)
Categories
Fine Art Paintings
Origins
The Netherlands
Periods
19th Century Antique
Materials
Oil on panel
Measurements
Height: 30 cm, Width: 40 cm
Reference
DAAA100665

Related content

19th Century Fine Art For Sale Antique Fine Art For Sale 19th Century Paintings For Sale Antique Paintings For Sale Dutch Fine Art For Sale European Fine Art For Sale Dutch Paintings For Sale European Paintings For Sale
Daatselaar Fine Art & Antiques
Premier Seller
Founded in 1978
Artlistings seller since 2015

Ask the seller

More from this seller

You may also like

    Sailboats

    Sailboats

    Gerbrand Frederik van Schagen

    Sea with ships

    Sea with ships

    Quirijn van Tiel

    Sailing ships in a port

    Sailing ships in a port

    Willem Paerels

    Pair of Dutch landscapes

    Pair of Dutch landscapes

    P.J. (Pieter Jansz) van Asch

    Sailing ships on a rough sea

    Sailing ships on a rough sea

    J.C. (Johannes Christiaan) Schotel

    Street scene

    Street scene

    Johannes Bosboom

    Beach scene

    Beach scene

    Hendrick van Anthonissen

    Ship on riverbank

    Ship on riverbank

    Jacob Maris