DOI article:
Eisler, Max: The van Randwijk collection, 1: The school of the Hague
DOI Page / Citation link:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.43449#0111
The van Randwijk Collection
“a mother’s care”
BY JOSEF ISRAELS
collections, the work of the Frenchmen predominat-
ing in that of Mesdag, whilst in Randwijk’s the
Dutchmen have the pre-eminence. Comparison
between the two schools is thus rendered easy, and
hostile criticism is compelled to justify itself by
quoting examples of what it deprecates before such
criticism can be held worthy of consideration. In
one respect especially the treasures given to the
public by Mesdag greatly surpass the pictures in
the Randwijk collection, for they can be more
easily understood, being the work, so to speak, of a
fellow-combatant of the leaders of the school of The
Hague, and are therefore of great educational value.
Randwijk’s collection, on the other hand, magnifi-
cent though it undoubtedly is, has not the same value
from this point of view, for the paintings in it are,
with few exceptions, illustrative rather of the school
at its maturity than of its struggles for recognition.
The former stirs the heart of the spectator by its
suggestion of strenuous effort, the effort of creative
genius to express itself adequately ; the latter gives
the impression of rest after toil, of confidence won
after long uncertainty.
It is this which gives its chief distinction to the
Randwijk collection, containing as it does most
characteristic examples of the best work of leading
members of the school of The Hague, and present-
ing a most comprehensive picture of that school as
a whole. Johannes Bosboom (1817-91), who may
well be called the great forerunner of the new school,
and whose work is remarkable for its individuality,
its technical skill and force of expression, is well
represented by his Church at Treves, a finely
balanced composition and a true masterpiece of
execution and colouring. The soft grey tones of
the wall, the yellowish brown lines of the choir, the
red marbles with the shimmering sunlight lending
to them a mysterious charm, the brown lintel above
the black iron gate, the dark dresses of the people
in the aisles, the brilliant lines of the brocaded
robes of the celebrant and the gleam of the golden
vessel in his hands, all combine to produce an
exquisite colour-harmony that leaves on the spec-
tator an impression like that of a simple yet most
beautiful musical symphony. Bathed as it is in
light, the vast stone-encompassed space gives an
97
“a mother’s care”
BY JOSEF ISRAELS
collections, the work of the Frenchmen predominat-
ing in that of Mesdag, whilst in Randwijk’s the
Dutchmen have the pre-eminence. Comparison
between the two schools is thus rendered easy, and
hostile criticism is compelled to justify itself by
quoting examples of what it deprecates before such
criticism can be held worthy of consideration. In
one respect especially the treasures given to the
public by Mesdag greatly surpass the pictures in
the Randwijk collection, for they can be more
easily understood, being the work, so to speak, of a
fellow-combatant of the leaders of the school of The
Hague, and are therefore of great educational value.
Randwijk’s collection, on the other hand, magnifi-
cent though it undoubtedly is, has not the same value
from this point of view, for the paintings in it are,
with few exceptions, illustrative rather of the school
at its maturity than of its struggles for recognition.
The former stirs the heart of the spectator by its
suggestion of strenuous effort, the effort of creative
genius to express itself adequately ; the latter gives
the impression of rest after toil, of confidence won
after long uncertainty.
It is this which gives its chief distinction to the
Randwijk collection, containing as it does most
characteristic examples of the best work of leading
members of the school of The Hague, and present-
ing a most comprehensive picture of that school as
a whole. Johannes Bosboom (1817-91), who may
well be called the great forerunner of the new school,
and whose work is remarkable for its individuality,
its technical skill and force of expression, is well
represented by his Church at Treves, a finely
balanced composition and a true masterpiece of
execution and colouring. The soft grey tones of
the wall, the yellowish brown lines of the choir, the
red marbles with the shimmering sunlight lending
to them a mysterious charm, the brown lintel above
the black iron gate, the dark dresses of the people
in the aisles, the brilliant lines of the brocaded
robes of the celebrant and the gleam of the golden
vessel in his hands, all combine to produce an
exquisite colour-harmony that leaves on the spec-
tator an impression like that of a simple yet most
beautiful musical symphony. Bathed as it is in
light, the vast stone-encompassed space gives an
97