A. Mauve Flock of sheep with sheperd in snow undated
This week I went to Haarlem to see an exhibition of paintings of Anton Mauve in the Teylers Museum.
Anton Mauve was one of the leading painters of the "Hague School", a group of Dutch painters active in the second half of the 19th century. Most of them were plein air painters. Although inspired by Barbizon, their palette was darker and distinctly Dutch. At the end of the 19th century the" Hague school" painters were very popular abroad especially in the U.S.
Mauve was a plein air landscape painter and is often called "the master of the silver light" because of his atmospheric skies. In the beginning of his career he lived in the countryside near Oosterbeek where he painted farm life with his friends Willem Maris and Gerard Bilders. Later he moved to The Hague where he painted some of his major works (seasights with horses) and became a succesful painter. In the Hague he teached young Vincent van Gogh - who just had decided to become a painter - the basic principles of painting. Mauve was married to Vincent van Gogh's niece and agreed to take care of the obstinate youngster Van Gogh. He was a patient but demanding teacher and van Gogh had a deep respect for Mauve as a painter and human being.Years later when he lived in France, he was very moved by the early death of Mauve and dedicated one of his paintings to him.
During the last period of his life Mauve moved to the village Laren in the countryside. In Laren he made many landscapes often with a flock of sheep. At that time he was a well known painter, particularly in the U.S. He was under constant pressure from his agents to produce more paintings. He died at the age of 49 because of heart problems. Mauve was a sensitive man and sometimes suffered from depressions. He loved and understood nature and his paintings show that he liked to be part of it. Mauve was a master in grasping the mood of the day or the season.