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Jan Willem van Borselenartist • painter • watercolourist • draughtsmanGouda 1825-1892 Den Haag

biography of Jan Willem van Borselen

Jan Willem van Borselen mainly painted landscapes, for which he gained inspiration in the watery areas of The Hague: Gouda, Zoetermeer and Stompwijk. The way in which he was able to depict reeds and wind-swayed trees and clouding dust was particularly admired. King William III and his (second) wife Queen Emma were lovers of the painter's work and gave him several commissions. They also invited him to Paleis Het Loo, their summer residence. Van Borselen also made sketch trips around Apeldoorn, where he got ideas for his paintings. The king regularly accompanied him on his walks. The painter later said that he had never worked outside in such a pleasant way.

'Anyone who looks at a painting by Jan Willem van Borselen and tries to break free from the atmosphere of everyday life gets a feeling of recognition. A memory of a walk through the polder, a rowing trip through the creeks, a sailing day on the lakes or a fishing day with friends. In his paintings a wind seems to be blowing, setting everything in motion, the water, the reeds, the clouds, the leaves of the trees. Everything seems to dissolve into colour – in green,' writes Tiny de Liefde-van Brakel. In her reflection she places the work in the time in which it was made, the nineteenth century. A period in which artists break away from the idealized romantic landscape and look for reality as a source of artistic innovation. A search that culminated in Dutch Impressionism at the end of the nineteenth century. Van Borselen was a bridge builder between the Romantic School and Dutch Impressionism. The influence of the great romantic master Andreas Schelfhout, from whom Van Borselen was taught, can be found in the work from his early period. After impressionism arrived, his brush became looser.

A recurring motif in his work is the Dutch pollard willow. He paints these pollarded or tall plants in vast landscapes in bright green and blue tones, where sun and shade alternate. Water features can often be found in his paintings; the furnishings usually consist of a few cows along the waterfront, a fisherman or a single walker in the middle of nature. And the wind is always present, visible in the tops of the trees, almost palpable for the viewer who imagines himself as a walker in the landscape.

In 1855 Van Borselen exchanged his birthplace Gouda for The Hague, where he apprenticed with Andreas Schelfhout and became a member of the Pulchri Studio Painting Society. He is a very active Pulchri member and regularly held board positions until his death. The method that Van Borselen developed – depicting nature as realistically as possible, without adornment – was soon widely appreciated, among the art trade and among private, major collectors including the nobility. He exhibits regularly at home and abroad (London, Paris, Vienna, Philadelphia) and is well paid for his paintings.


for salepaintings, watercolours and drawings by Jan Willem van Borselen


Jan Willem van Borselen | Homeward bound after haymaking, oil on canvas, 45.0 x 70.3 cm, signed l.r.

Jan Willem van Borselen

painting • for sale

Homeward bound after haymaking

Jan Willem van Borselen | View of the lake at Nieuwkoop in stormy weather, oil on canvas, 66.1 x 106.3 cm, signed l.r.

Jan Willem van Borselen

painting • for sale

View of the lake at Nieuwkoop in stormy weather

Jan Willem van Borselen | Escaping the rain, oil on panel, 33.3 x 55.4 cm, signed l.r. and dated '62

Jan Willem van Borselen

painting • for sale

Escaping the rain

Jan Willem van Borselen | A forest view, oil on canvas, 76.0 x 120.0 cm, signed l.l.

Jan Willem van Borselen

painting • for sale

A forest view

Jan Willem van Borselen | Cows with guardian at farm, oil on canvas, 65.5 x 106.6 cm, signed l.l.

Jan Willem van Borselen

painting • for sale

Cows with guardian at farm

Jan Willem van Borselen | Cows at a river, oil on canvas, 66.2 x 106.6 cm, signed l.l.

Jan Willem van Borselen

painting • for sale

Cows at a river

Jan Willem van Borselen | Along the river the Vlist, oil on canvas, 45.5 x 70.5 cm, signed l.r.

Jan Willem van Borselen

painting • for sale

Along the river the Vlist

Jan Willem van Borselen | Towers in a Dutch polder landscape, oil on canvas, 65.3 x 100.2 cm, signed l.r. and dated 1872

Jan Willem van Borselen

painting • for sale

Towers in a Dutch polder landscape


previously for salepaintings, watercolours and drawings by Jan Willem van Borselen


Jan Willem van Borselen | Forest, oil on panel, 11.0 x 9.0 cm

Jan Willem van Borselen

painting • previously for sale

Forest

Jan Willem van Borselen | Summer landscape with herd and shepherd, oil on canvas, 40.9 x 31.0 cm, signed l.l.

Jan Willem van Borselen

painting • previously for sale

Summer landscape with herd and shepherd

Jan Willem van Borselen | Homeward bound after haymaking, oil on canvas, 45.0 x 70.3 cm, signed l.r.

Jan Willem van Borselen

painting • previously for sale

Homeward bound after haymaking

Jan Willem van Borselen | Gathering wood along the river, oil on panel, 20.8 x 31.7 cm, signed l.l.

Jan Willem van Borselen

painting • previously for sale

Gathering wood along the river

Jan Willem van Borselen | Grazing cattle in a polder landscape, oil on panel, 18.0 x 29.0 cm, signed l.l.

Jan Willem van Borselen

painting • previously for sale

Grazing cattle in a polder landscape

Jan Willem van Borselen | The ferry, oil on panel, 25.3 x 31.9 cm, signed l.r.

Jan Willem van Borselen

painting • previously for sale

The ferry

Jan Willem van Borselen | The Scheveningse Bosjes, The Hague, oil on panel, 36.5 x 52.0 cm, signed l.l.

Jan Willem van Borselen

painting • previously for sale

The Scheveningse Bosjes, The Hague

Jan Willem van Borselen | Farm by the water, oil on panel, 14.8 x 18.9 cm, signed l.r.

Jan Willem van Borselen

painting • previously for sale

Farm by the water

Jan Willem van Borselen | Forest, oil on panel, 11.0 x 9.0 cm

Jan Willem van Borselen

painting • previously for sale

Forest

Jan Willem van Borselen | A windmill by the water, oil on panel, 9.0 x 11.9 cm, signed l.l.

Jan Willem van Borselen

painting • previously for sale

A windmill by the water

Jan Willem van Borselen | Mother and child in a forest near Apeldoorn, oil on canvas, 66.2 x 106.4 cm, signed l.l. and dated 1882

Jan Willem van Borselen

painting • previously for sale

Mother and child in a forest near Apeldoorn

Jan Willem van Borselen | Anglers in a summery polder landscape, oil on canvas, 100.1 x 73.0 cm, signed l.r.

Jan Willem van Borselen

painting • previously for sale

Anglers in a summery polder landscape

Jan Willem van Borselen | A Dutch polder landscape, oil on panel, 26.7 x 40.1 cm, signed l.l.

Jan Willem van Borselen

painting • previously for sale

A Dutch polder landscape

Jan Willem van Borselen | Wood gatherers on a forest track, oil on panel, 27.8 x 42.0 cm, signed l.r.

Jan Willem van Borselen

painting • previously for sale

Wood gatherers on a forest track

Jan Willem van Borselen | A Dutch polder landscape, oil on panel, 30.2 x 44.3 cm, signed l.r.

Jan Willem van Borselen

painting • previously for sale

A Dutch polder landscape

Jan Willem van Borselen | Gathering faggots after the storm, oil on panel, 22.5 x 35.3 cm, signed l.l. and dated 1870

Jan Willem van Borselen

painting • previously for sale

Gathering faggots after the storm

Jan Willem van Borselen | Windmill on the eastside of the polder 'Stolwijk' (near Gouda), oil on panel, 9.0 x 11.8 cm, signed l.l.

Jan Willem van Borselen

painting • previously for sale

Windmill on the eastside of the polder 'Stolwijk' (near Gouda)

Jan Willem van Borselen | Windmills in a Dutch polder landscape, oil on canvas laid down on panel, 12.7 x 19.8 cm, signed l.r.

Jan Willem van Borselen

painting • previously for sale

Windmills in a Dutch polder landscape

Jan Willem van Borselen | A shepherd, oil on canvas, 44.8 x 70.3 cm, signed l.l.

Jan Willem van Borselen

painting • previously for sale

A shepherd

Jan Willem van Borselen | A meadow with farmers and a horse drawn cart, oil on canvas, 46.2 x 70.9 cm, signed l.l.

Jan Willem van Borselen

painting • previously for sale

A meadow with farmers and a horse drawn cart

Jan Willem van Borselen | Homeward bound after haymaking, oil on canvas, 45.0 x 70.3 cm, signed l.r.

Jan Willem van Borselen

painting • previously for sale

Homeward bound after haymaking

Jan Willem van Borselen | A Dutch polder landscape, oil on panel, 26.7 x 40.1 cm, signed l.l.

Jan Willem van Borselen

painting • previously for sale

A Dutch polder landscape

Jan Willem van Borselen | A hay-cart in a landscape, oil on canvas, 45.0 x 70.3 cm, signed l.r.

Jan Willem van Borselen

painting • previously for sale

A hay-cart in a landscape

Jan Willem van Borselen | Wood gatherers on a forest track, oil on panel, 27.8 x 42.0 cm, signed l.r.

Jan Willem van Borselen

painting • previously for sale

Wood gatherers on a forest track

Jan Willem van Borselen | An elegant couple in a park, oil on panel, 35.8 x 24.5 cm, signed l.r.

Jan Willem van Borselen

painting • previously for sale

An elegant couple in a park

Jan Willem van Borselen | Figures on the riverbank, oil on panel, 14.9 x 19.3 cm, signed on the reverse

Jan Willem van Borselen

painting • previously for sale

Figures on the riverbank

Jan Willem van Borselen | A river landscape, oil on canvas laid down on panel, 12.8 x 19.4 cm, signed l.r. vague

Jan Willem van Borselen

painting • previously for sale

A river landscape

Jan Willem van Borselen | Figures in a summer landscape, oil on panel, 15.8 x 24.8 cm, signed l.r.

Jan Willem van Borselen

painting • previously for sale

Figures in a summer landscape

Jan Willem van Borselen | A polder landscape with a hunter and dog, oil on canvas, 101.0 x 74.0 cm, signed l.r.

Jan Willem van Borselen

painting • previously for sale

A polder landscape with a hunter and dog

Jan Willem van Borselen | Gathering wood, oil on panel, 38.7 x 29.9 cm, signed l.r. and dated '66

Jan Willem van Borselen

painting • previously for sale

Gathering wood

Jan Willem van Borselen | Windmills in a polder landscape, oil on canvas laid down on panel, 12.8 x 19.7 cm, signed l.r.

Jan Willem van Borselen

painting • previously for sale

Windmills in a polder landscape

Jan Willem van Borselen | A river landscape, oil on canvas laid down on panel, 12.8 x 19.4 cm, signed l.r.

Jan Willem van Borselen

painting • previously for sale

A river landscape

Jan Willem van Borselen | Study of trees, oil on canvas laid down on panel, 29.1 x 18.4 cm

Jan Willem van Borselen

painting • previously for sale

Study of trees

Jan Willem van Borselen | A farm, oil on canvas, 65.0 x 105.0 cm, signed l.l.

Jan Willem van Borselen

painting • previously for sale

A farm

Jan Willem van Borselen | Cows in a meadow, oil on canvas, 29.0 x 44.6 cm, signed l.r.

Jan Willem van Borselen

painting • previously for sale

Cows in a meadow

Jan Willem van Borselen | View of a castle, oil on canvas, 65.8 x 105.0 cm, signed l.l. and dated 1866

Jan Willem van Borselen

painting • previously for sale

View of a castle

Jan Willem van Borselen | After a storm comes a calm, oil on canvas, 45.5 x 70.5 cm, signed l.l.

Jan Willem van Borselen

painting • previously for sale

After a storm comes a calm

Jan Willem van Borselen | Moored vessel, oil on canvas, 44.3 x 71.0 cm

Jan Willem van Borselen

painting • previously for sale

Moored vessel

Jan Willem van Borselen | A shepherdess, oil on canvas, 45.8 x 68.5 cm, signed l.r.

Jan Willem van Borselen

painting • previously for sale

A shepherdess

Jan Willem van Borselen | A river landscape, oil on panel, 24.2 x 31.8 cm

Jan Willem van Borselen

painting • previously for sale

A river landscape

Jan Willem van Borselen | A summer landscape, oil on panel, 37.8 x 55.5 cm, signed l.l. and dated '58

Jan Willem van Borselen

painting • previously for sale

A summer landscape

Jan Willem van Borselen | Evening twilight, oil on panel, 15.7 x 25.1 cm, signed l.l.

Jan Willem van Borselen

painting • previously for sale

Evening twilight

Jan Willem van Borselen | Landscape, oil on canvas, 45.5 x 70.5 cm, signed l.r. and dated 1871

Jan Willem van Borselen

painting • previously for sale

Landscape

Jan Willem van Borselen | In the Bloemendaal forest, watercolour on paper, 51.5 x 35.4 cm, signed l.r.

Jan Willem van Borselen

watercolour • drawing • previously for sale

In the Bloemendaal forest

Jan Willem van Borselen | Figure in a landscape, watercolour on paper, 9.0 x 3.0 cm, signed l.r. with monogram

Jan Willem van Borselen

watercolour • drawing • previously for sale

Figure in a landscape

Jan Willem van Borselen | A polder landscape, watercolour on paper, 22.0 x 21.0 cm, signed l.r. and dated 1861

Jan Willem van Borselen

watercolour • drawing • previously for sale

A polder landscape


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