International studio (24.1904/1905(1905))

Hans von Bartels


Achenbach; or rather, one might say, that the two
men have grasped the same qualities. The one
has not in art pointed out those qualities to
the other, though there are many things in common
between the two painters, the one of the past, the
other of the present.
The sea; the homely fishing boats safe in
harbour; peasant folk resting from toil; weather-
beaten old mills standing out in splendid colour
against the blue skies of Holland; little fishing
villages with their red towers and the interiors of
low rooms with their solitary figures in the rich
glow of the fire light, are the pictures that Hans
von Bartels loves to paint, and paints so well.
L. van der Veer.

We have received the
following note from our
correspondent at the
Hague : “ Most of the pic-
tures of Tholen have found
a home in England, and
we, who live in the
artist’s country, are not too
well acquainted with his
works. An exhibition, such
as that recently held at
Preyer’s, was therefore an
agreeable opportunity for
many of us to get a small,
if not complete, insight into
his style of work. And what
was the outcome of it all?
What did we learn ? We
learnt that the works of
Tholen are excellent as a
whole; that he has great
facility in dealing with his
subjects ; that he is a close
observer of atmosphere, and
of the play of light at all
seasons of the year; that
in his landscapes he
thoroughly explains to us
that there is a close con-
nection between the light
that shines and the objects
upon which it shines; that
he does not see a landscape
without realising, at the same
time, that it is peopled by
mankind. The work of
Tholen lacks, as the work
of Gabriel does, the power “TotLERs” by hans von bartels
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to attract at first sight; and therefore, perhaps,
it is not as highly appreciated as it deserves
to be. The work of many of the Impres-
sionists impresses us on the spot, but Tholen’s
has a soothing influence like the charm of
sweet music. Tholen has a particularly good
knowledge of water and its varied movements and
reflections ; he is likewise thoroughly acquainted
with the beauty and picturesqueness of his own
country. His style is, as I have already suggested,
quiet and sympathetic; he understands true values,
and his drawing is careful, but we would like to
see a little more passion and warmth introduced
into his work. An exhibition of Dutch water-
colours was recently held at Amsterdam, but the
selection of the works left a good deal to be