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Jozef Israëlsartist • painter • watercolourist • draughtsmanGroningen 1824-1911 Den Haag

biography of Jozef Israëls

Portrait of artist, painter, watercolourist and draughtsman Jozef Israëls

Portrait of Jozef Israëls

Jozef Israëls, who grew up in Groningen in a simple Jewish environment, went to the Kweekschool and from the age of 15 to the French School. In the meantime, he already took drawing and painting lessons at the Minerva Academy. At the age of eighteen, Joseph moved to Amsterdam, where he studied at Jan Adam Kruseman's studio and also attended evening classes at the Royal Academy. Israëls was a 'people person'. All his life he would have been devoted to portraying the human figure in his characteristic environment. He chose fishermen and farmers - types from popular life - as models. Scenes that gave him a big name were not the small and big joys of life, but the images of deep human compassion, suffering and sad loneliness.

The first paintings with this theme were created in Zandvoort. His brother, who was a doctor, recommended sea air for his rheumatic diseases and Israel stayed with a carpenter for a week. This is where his famous work 'Along Mother's Grave' was created, for which the landlord and his children served as models. Only in the 60s, after his marriage and the birth of his children Isaac and Mathilde, did themes like domestic happiness and motherhood appear in his paintings. In this time too, Israëls became acquainted with David Artz and Bernard Blommers, whom he would greatly influence at the start of their career.

After 1871, when he went to live in The Hague, he became close friends with Hendrik Willem Mesdag. Together they were involved in the founding of the Hollandsche Teekenmaatschappij in 1876. Israëls was one of the first members of Pulchri Studio. As one of the older painters of the Hague School, Israëls was known for his open mind and his great interest in new expressions in literature and visual arts.

In the garden of his house on Koninginneweg in The Hague, Jozef had a studio built with a 'fisherman's corner' and an Old Dutch window. Figures posed in a certain way posed in front of that window. This resulted in portraits and interiors with beautiful light and dark effects.

Israëls' working method was widely adopted in the 19th century, both with Dutch painters such as Van Gogh and Mondriaan, and with foreigners such as Max Liebermann.

Together with Bosboom, Israëls provided proof that it was not only the landscape painters who set the tone in the early days of the Hague School. 

for salepaintings, watercolours and drawings by Jozef Israëls


Jozef Israëls | Having breakfast, pencil and watercolour on paper, 20.3 x 14.7 cm, signed l.r.

Jozef Israëls

watercolour • drawing • for sale

Having breakfast


previously for salepaintings, watercolours and drawings by Jozef Israëls


Jozef Israëls | At the cooking pot, oil on canvas, 43.4 x 53.3 cm, signed l.l.

Jozef Israëls

painting • previously for sale

At the cooking pot

Jozef Israëls | Mother and child at the window, oil on panel, 38.6 x 27.1 cm, signed l.l.

Jozef Israëls

painting • previously for sale

Mother and child at the window

Jozef Israëls | By the fire, oil on panel, 29.5 x 20.0 cm, signed l.r. (twice)

Jozef Israëls

painting • previously for sale

By the fire

Jozef Israëls | Feeding the pet goat, oil on panel, 50.0 x 33.6 cm, signed l.l. and dated 1879

Jozef Israëls

painting • previously for sale

Feeding the pet goat

Jozef Israëls | Fishing boat on the beach (probably Zandvoort), oil on panel, 45.0 x 72.1 cm, signed l.l. and on label on the reverse

Jozef Israëls

painting • previously for sale

Fishing boat on the beach (probably Zandvoort)

Jozef Israëls | A woman knitting, oil on canvas, 56.6 x 45.3 cm, signed l.l.

Jozef Israëls

painting • previously for sale

A woman knitting

Jozef Israëls | Woman sewing near the window, oil on panel, 30.0 x 27.7 cm, signed l.r. and painted ca. 1890-1900

Jozef Israëls

painting • previously for sale

Woman sewing near the window

Jozef Israëls | Peeling potatoes, oil on canvas, 61.3 x 41.5 cm, signed l.l.

Jozef Israëls

painting • previously for sale

Peeling potatoes

Jozef Israëls | Before the fire, oil on canvas, 29.8 x 41.8 cm, signed l.r.

Jozef Israëls

painting • previously for sale

Before the fire

Jozef Israëls | The birthday, oil on panel, 25.5 x 17.5 cm, signed l.r.

Jozef Israëls

painting • previously for sale

The birthday

Jozef Israëls | Bringing in the catch at night, oil on panel, 32.5 x 46.1 cm, signed l.l. and painted circa 1861-1864

Jozef Israëls

painting • previously for sale

Bringing in the catch at night

Jozef Israëls | In contemplation, oil on panel, 27.2 x 38.7 cm, signed l.l.

Jozef Israëls

painting • previously for sale

In contemplation

Jozef Israëls | Going home, oil on panel, 40.0 x 27.5 cm, signed l.l.

Jozef Israëls

painting • previously for sale

Going home

Jozef Israëls | Fisherman's wife and daughter on the beach with the daily catch, oil on canvas, 54.0 x 67.0 cm, signed l.r.

Jozef Israëls

painting • previously for sale

Fisherman's wife and daughter on the beach with the daily catch

Jozef Israëls | Children of the sea, oil on panel, 12.9 x 37.6 cm, signed l.l.

Jozef Israëls

painting • previously for sale

Children of the sea

Jozef Israëls | A knitting girl in the dunes, oil on panel, 30.0 x 27.5 cm, signed l.l. and dated ca. 1900

Jozef Israëls

painting • previously for sale

A knitting girl in the dunes

Jozef Israëls | A girl knitting in the dunes, oil on panel, 44.2 x 36.1 cm, signed l.l.

Jozef Israëls

painting • previously for sale

A girl knitting in the dunes

Jozef Israëls | Playing in the surf, oil on canvas, 91.5 x 132.1 cm, signed m.l. and painted circa 1863

Jozef Israëls

painting • previously for sale

Playing in the surf

Jozef Israëls | Awaiting father's return, oil on panel, 24.3 x 33.2 cm, signed l.l.

Jozef Israëls

painting • previously for sale

Awaiting father's return

Jozef Israëls | Awaiting father's return, oil on panel, 32.7 x 44.1 cm, signed l.l.

Jozef Israëls

painting • previously for sale

Awaiting father's return

Jozef Israëls | A sand barge, oil on panel, 25.6 x 42.8 cm, signed l.l.

Jozef Israëls

painting • previously for sale

A sand barge

Jozef Israëls | Homeward bound, oil on canvas, 53.0 x 100.5 cm, signed l.r.

Jozef Israëls

painting • previously for sale

Homeward bound

Jozef Israëls | Bootje varen, oil on panel, 20.6 x 29.0 cm, gesigneerd l.i.h.m.

Jozef Israëls

painting • previously for sale

Bootje varen

Jozef Israëls | Homeward bound, oil on panel, 27.8 x 36.4 cm, signed l.l. and painted circa 1865-1870

Jozef Israëls

painting • previously for sale

Homeward bound

Jozef Israëls | Gathering kelp, oil on panel, 36.7 x 49.0 cm, signed l.r.

Jozef Israëls

painting • previously for sale

Gathering kelp

Jozef Israëls | Unloading the catch, oil on canvas, 43.0 x 70.5 cm, signed l.l.

Jozef Israëls

painting • previously for sale

Unloading the catch

Jozef Israëls | Eating pancakes, oil on canvas, 33.7 x 50.0 cm, signed l.l.

Jozef Israëls

painting • previously for sale

Eating pancakes

Jozef Israëls | Mending nets, oil on panel, 32.9 x 44.2 cm, signed l.l.

Jozef Israëls

painting • previously for sale

Mending nets

Jozef Israëls | Preparing dinner, oil on canvas, 43.0 x 53.0 cm, signed l.l.

Jozef Israëls

painting • previously for sale

Preparing dinner

Jozef Israëls | The young family, pastel and watercolour on paper, 35.3 x 53.5 cm, signed l.l.

Jozef Israëls

watercolour • drawing • previously for sale

The young family

Jozef Israëls | The mending, charcoal and watercolour on paper laid down on board, 34.4 x 22.2 cm, signed l.l.

Jozef Israëls

watercolour • drawing • previously for sale

The mending

Jozef Israëls | The benefactor, chalk and watercolour on paper, 27.8 x 20.6 cm, signed l.l.

Jozef Israëls

watercolour • drawing • previously for sale

The benefactor

Jozef Israëls | A girl in the dunes, watercolour on paper, 17.0 x 31.0 cm, signed l.l.

Jozef Israëls

watercolour • drawing • previously for sale

A girl in the dunes


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