Hendrik Willem Mesdag (1831-1915)Mesdag decided to become an artist in 1866, when already 35 years old. Before then he had worked in his father's banking business and had drawn in his leisure time. To further his artistic training he moved to Brussels, where he was taught by the Dutch painter Roelofs. The sea became Mesdag's primary subject. In 1869 he settled close to the coast in The Hague. The beach at Scheveningen was his favourite spot for painting. He achieved international fame when he won a medal in 1870 at the Paris SalonParis SalonIn 17th-century Paris the tradition of an annual exhibition in May began - this was the 'Salon de Mai' or simply the 'Salon'. Works of art were selected by a strict jury which was also responsible for awarding prizes. For (young) artists exposure at the salon represented a significant recognition of their work. In general, the jury tended to be conservative in its judgment: only artists who met the traditional, academic norms were admitted. Innovative, modern art was often refused. In protest, in 1863 a 'Salon des Refusés' was organised which featured works that were later to become famous, such as the 'Déjeuner sur l'herbe' by Manet. In 1884 the 'Salon des Indépendants' was started, a salon without a jury and without prizes.. His most spectacular work, the Mesdag Panorama,Mesdag's PanoramaMesdag's Panorama in The Hague is a coastal view of some 120 metres wide and 14 metres high, on a circular wall. This enormous painting provides a lively view of the beach at Scheveningen in the 1880s. Dunes are imitated in the foreground, so that the viewer has the impression of looking out over the beach from a sand hill. Mesdag started his gigantic project in 1881. He completed the painting in four months with the aid of his wife Sientje van Houten and George Hendrik Breitner. Mesdag's Panorama was an immediate success and it can still be seen in The Hague. was produced in 1881. It can still be seen in The Hague close by Museum Mesdag. This museum, founded by Mesdag himself (next to his house), contains primarily work by artists of the Hague School and the Barbizon School. |
