19th Century Market Scene Painting Oil on Copper

About the Item

Circle of Abraham van Strij (Holland, 1753 - 1826) Market scene Oil on copper, 45 x 36 With frame 60 x 50 cm The lively port everyday life that transpires from this painting is achieved thanks to the careful attention to detail which the painter demonstrates with cheerful minuteness. A young woman intent on everyday errands pauses with interest, the basket tight at her side, near a fishmonger. This, unlike the young man next to her who, distracted, blissfully looks into the distance, declaims his wares. Four wooden baskets contain realistic fish still immersed in the water to preserve their freshness. Two fish fell from a basket, proof of the abundance of fishing. A little further on, some fishermen are busy, while beyond the crystalline water of the small port you can see a bridge with many spans and the pale outline of a mountain. A series of houses near the bridge and on the left of the painting, typically Nordic, give further rhythm to the description of the scene. The insistence on details (the stilt-like structure of the house in the shadow of which the seller sits, the oars leaning against the wall of the same, the stones of the pavement, the bright shades of colors, especially green and red) denounce a strong attention of the artist for genre scenes. Abraham van Strij was an artist of Dutch origin, a native of the city of Dordrecht, he studied at the Academy of Fine Arts in Antwerp and founded together with other artists the drawing company in the Dutch city. According to the RKD he was the son of Leendert and brother of Jacob van Strij. Both he and his brother had first been pupils of his father and, after taking lessons from Joris Ponse, Abram finally joined the family workshop. He was a member of the guild of St. Luke, the guild of painters, of Dordrecht and later became its director. After an initial training as a naturamortist, he changed genre and devoted himself to landscape, genre scene and portrait. Many of his works are kept at the Rijiksmuseum in Amsterdam. His son Abram II (1790-1840) also became a painter, taking pupils after taking over his father's workshop. Their pupils were Pieter Rudolph Kleijn, Johannes van Lexmond, Jacob de Meijer, Johannes Rutten, Johannes Schoenmakers, Johannes Christiaan Schotel and Gillis Smak Gregoor.

Dimensions:

Height: 23.63 in (60 cm)Width: 19.69 in (50 cm)Depth: 1.97 in (5 cm)

Materials and Techniques:

Copper,Hand-Painted,Oiled,Painted

Place of Origin:

Netherlands

Period:

19th Century

Date of Manufacture:

19th Century

Condition:

Refinished. Wear consistent with age and use. The painting has been cleaned.