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Willem Bastiaan Tholenartist • painter • watercolourist • draughtsmanAmsterdam 1860-1931 Den Haag

biography of Willem Bastiaan Tholen

Willem Bastiaan Tholen painted portraits, forest, city and beach views in a loose painting style and a colourful, clear palette. But above all he loves water landscapes, polders, lakes, rivers, clouds, light and water. He records them in the vicinity of Kampen and Giethoorn, from the land, but also from the water. In Enkhuizen he has his Lemsteraak the 'Eudia' built, with which he makes countless trips in the Dutch lake and river landscape - often accompanied by friends. Tholen often docked his ship to draw or paint on the pier or in the meadow under a white parasol.
Born in Amsterdam in 1931, Tholen studies there for one year at the Rijksakademie van Beeldende Kunsten and then obtains his M.O. in two years. signing and rectilinear deeds at the Polytechnic School in Delft. At the age of 18 he is teaching art in Kampen, where his parents have since moved. Teaching is hard for him. He prefers to go out with friend Paul Gabriel to draw and paint in nature. The only training that Tholen would follow in the painting profession was the three months with Gabriel in Brussels. He was Tholen's most important counselor and his influence is visible in the early landscapes that Tholen made in the vicinity of Giethoorn and Kampen.
Tholen is seen as a versatile and talented artist, who was already very popular in his time. He builds on the work of the painters of the Hague School, but he gives it his own twist and was not necessarily looking for connection with like-minded people. His work is more colorful and diverse in subject matter than that of the Hague School painters and he works somewhat more modestly than the painters of the Amsterdam School, but his paintings and watercolors nevertheless find a connection with both movements. He was also a gifted etcher and draftsman. Tholen's life changes drastically when, as a young art student, he meets Willem Witsen at the Amsterdam State Academy. He was impressed by Tholen's talent and introduced him to his family and friends on the Ewijkshoeve family estate near Baarn, which was then a meeting center for painters, writers and musicians from the Tachtigers. Tholen also meets his future wife Coba Muller there, who lives at Ewijkshoeve and is friends with Cobi, Witsen's sister. Housemates are also the widower Bram Arntzenius with his six children. These children are grateful subjects for Tholen, who records them in countless drawings and paintings
Tholen first painted his beloved water landscapes in the vicinity of Giethoorn and Kampen, where he has been regularly since 1880. Not only from the land, but also from the water. In Enkhuizen he has his Eudia built with which he regularly sails over the Zuiderzee, the Waddenzee, Kagerplassen and the Dutch rivers, often accompanied by friends. The atmosphere on the water, around the ports and in the harbor towns, gave him inspiration for many new subjects. In 1886 Tholen married Coba Muller, 17 years his senior, and they settled in The Hague, where Cobi Witsen and Bram Arntzenius – who married a year earlier – also live with their children. In 1990, Tholen buys De Kanaalvilla on Haringkade in The Hague and has it renovated, so that both families can live together again like at Ewijkshoeve. In The Hague, Tholen has a rich social life and maintains many contacts with The Hague School painters such as the Maris brothers, Jozef Israëls, Mesdag, Bosboom, and Mauve. He becomes a member of Pulchri and of the Hollandsche Teekenmaatschappij. Tholen was a positive person, loved by colleagues and friends, but he was also appreciated in his work, it is sold worldwide and he wins art prizes. Art dealers are queuing up. Artworks from the Hague School are hardly for sale anymore and Tholen fills this gap with his typical Dutch subjects.
The tide turned for Tholen around his fortieth birthday. The critics still found his work civilized, but it lacked some of the sparkle of the earlier work he made at Ewijkshoeve. A sunny garden with greenhouses and a watering can or a dilapidated shed and fallen tree branch. Perhaps the demand from rival art dealers caused him to repeat too many themes. In 1916 Coba fell ill and died two years later in a sanatorium in Heelsum. Tholen continues to live in the Canal Villa and remarries in 1919 with Lady Lita de Ranitz. They remain together until Tholen dies on December 5, 1931. In Enkhuizen the flag is then flown at half-mast on the Dromedary.


for salepaintings, watercolours and drawings by Willem Bastiaan Tholen


Willem Bastiaan Tholen | Carriage in a snowy street in Voorburg, oil on canvas laid down on panel, 64.1 x 56.3 cm, signed l.r. and executed ca. 1889

Willem Bastiaan Tholen

painting • for sale

Carriage in a snowy street in Voorburg

Willem Bastiaan Tholen | Ships leaving the harbour, oil on canvas laid down on panel, 31.9 x 52.0 cm, signed l.r. and dated '26

Willem Bastiaan Tholen

painting • for sale

Ships leaving the harbour

Willem Bastiaan Tholen | Portrait of a child, oil on canvas, 44.3 x 34.2 cm, signed c.r.

Willem Bastiaan Tholen

painting • for sale

Portrait of a child

Willem Bastiaan Tholen | Fishing boat at sea,probably 'Krabbersgat', near Enkhuizen, oil on canvas laid down on panel, 25.4 x 34.6 cm, signed l.l.

Willem Bastiaan Tholen

painting • for sale

Fishing boat at sea,probably 'Krabbersgat', near Enkhuizen

Willem Bastiaan Tholen | Fishing boat entering the harbour of Urk, watercolour on paper, 51.1 x 70.0 cm, signed l.r.

Willem Bastiaan Tholen

watercolour • drawing • for sale

Fishing boat entering the harbour of Urk

Willem Bastiaan Tholen | Farmhouse in a polder landscape, charcoal on paper, 10.1 x 15.1 cm

Willem Bastiaan Tholen

watercolour • drawing • for sale

Farmhouse in a polder landscape

Willem Bastiaan Tholen | The Kanaal in Scheveningen, watercolour and gouache on paper, 30.0 x 44.5 cm, signed l.r. and dated '06

Willem Bastiaan Tholen

watercolour • drawing • for sale

The Kanaal in Scheveningen

Willem Bastiaan Tholen | Fishing boats on the beach at Scheveningen, watercolour and gouache on paper, 55.0 x 52.0 cm, signed l.l.

Willem Bastiaan Tholen

watercolour • drawing • for sale

Fishing boats on the beach at Scheveningen

Willem Bastiaan Tholen | Fisherfolk and boats on the Scheveningen beach, watercolour on paper, 37.4 x 53.4 cm, signed l.l.

Willem Bastiaan Tholen

watercolour • drawing • for sale

Fisherfolk and boats on the Scheveningen beach


previously for salepaintings, watercolours and drawings by Willem Bastiaan Tholen


Willem Bastiaan Tholen | Choppy Zuiderzee, oil on canvas, 71.1 x 60.5 cm, signed l.r. on the jetty

Willem Bastiaan Tholen

painting • previously for sale

Choppy Zuiderzee

Willem Bastiaan Tholen | Market on the quay, oil on panel, 29.1 x 35.9 cm, signed l.l. and dated '83

Willem Bastiaan Tholen

painting • previously for sale

Market on the quay

Willem Bastiaan Tholen | River on a windy day, oil on canvas laid down on panel, 20.3 x 28.5 cm, signed l.l. and dated '05

Willem Bastiaan Tholen

painting • previously for sale

River on a windy day

Willem Bastiaan Tholen | River on a windy day, oil on canvas laid down on panel, 20.3 x 28.5 cm, signed l.l. and dated '05

Willem Bastiaan Tholen

painting • previously for sale

River on a windy day

Willem Bastiaan Tholen | Children playing in the Scheveningse Bosjes, The Hague, oil on canvas laid down on panel, 23.6 x 43.5 cm, signed l.r.

Willem Bastiaan Tholen

painting • previously for sale

Children playing in the Scheveningse Bosjes, The Hague

Willem Bastiaan Tholen | A sunny courtyard, oil on canvas, 40.1 x 60.7 cm, signed l.r.

Willem Bastiaan Tholen

painting • previously for sale

A sunny courtyard

Willem Bastiaan Tholen | A view over roofs, oil on canvas laid down on panel, 23.0 x 31.7 cm, signed l.r.

Willem Bastiaan Tholen

painting • previously for sale

A view over roofs

Willem Bastiaan Tholen | Windmill on a canal, oil on paper laid down on board, 27.8 x 38.7 cm, signed l.r. and dated '84

Willem Bastiaan Tholen

painting • previously for sale

Windmill on a canal

Willem Bastiaan Tholen | Early morning, oil on canvas laid down on panel, 15.8 x 22.1 cm, signed l.r.

Willem Bastiaan Tholen

painting • previously for sale

Early morning

Willem Bastiaan Tholen | Ships sailing, oil on canvas laid down on panel, 20.0 x 30.0 cm, signed l.l. and painted ca. 1908

Willem Bastiaan Tholen

painting • previously for sale

Ships sailing

Willem Bastiaan Tholen | The windmills near Giethoorn, oil on canvas laid down on panel, 32.5 x 27.0 cm, signed l.r.

Willem Bastiaan Tholen

painting • previously for sale

The windmills near Giethoorn

Willem Bastiaan Tholen | Fishing boats at sea, oil on canvas laid down on panel, 31.3 x 37.0 cm, signed l.r. and dated '15

Willem Bastiaan Tholen

painting • previously for sale

Fishing boats at sea

Willem Bastiaan Tholen | Harbour along the Zuiderzee, oil on canvas laid down on panel, 27.5 x 32.1 cm, signed l.r.

Willem Bastiaan Tholen

painting • previously for sale

Harbour along the Zuiderzee

Willem Bastiaan Tholen | Landscape near Kampen, oil on canvas laid down on panel, 29.5 x 53.0 cm, signed l.c. and painted '21

Willem Bastiaan Tholen

painting • previously for sale

Landscape near Kampen

Willem Bastiaan Tholen | A summer landscape, oil on canvas, 75.0 x 99.5 cm, signed l.l.

Willem Bastiaan Tholen

painting • previously for sale

A summer landscape

Willem Bastiaan Tholen | The Cannenburgh castle in summer, oil on canvas laid down on panel, 37.3 x 41.4 cm, signed l.l. and dated '22

Willem Bastiaan Tholen

painting • previously for sale

The Cannenburgh castle in summer

Willem Bastiaan Tholen | A horseman along a river, oil on canvas, 60.3 x 94.0 cm, signed l.r.

Willem Bastiaan Tholen

painting • previously for sale

A horseman along a river

Willem Bastiaan Tholen | Shipping on the Zuiderzee, oil on canvas laid down on panel, 19.3 x 30.1 cm, signed l.l. and dated '15

Willem Bastiaan Tholen

painting • previously for sale

Shipping on the Zuiderzee

Willem Bastiaan Tholen | Open water, oil on canvas laid down on panel, 32.4 x 51.1 cm, signed l.r. and dated '21

Willem Bastiaan Tholen

painting • previously for sale

Open water

Willem Bastiaan Tholen | Landscape near Rhenen, oil on canvas, 70.5 x 90.4 cm, signed l.r. and painted between 1917-1918

Willem Bastiaan Tholen

painting • previously for sale

Landscape near Rhenen

Willem Bastiaan Tholen | A sailing vessel at sea, oil on canvas laid down on panel, 22.6 x 31.0 cm, signed l.l. and dated '83

Willem Bastiaan Tholen

painting • previously for sale

A sailing vessel at sea

Willem Bastiaan Tholen | Shipping in a calm, oil on canvas laid down on panel, 27.7 x 38.2 cm, signed l.l. and dated '26

Willem Bastiaan Tholen

painting • previously for sale

Shipping in a calm

Willem Bastiaan Tholen | A figure  in a flatboat, oil on canvas, 23.2 x 40.3 cm, signed l.r.

Willem Bastiaan Tholen

painting • previously for sale

A figure in a flatboat

Willem Bastiaan Tholen | A summer landscape with sailing vessels, oil on canvas, 35.4 x 59.0 cm, signed l.r. and painted '04

Willem Bastiaan Tholen

painting • previously for sale

A summer landscape with sailing vessels

Willem Bastiaan Tholen | Clouds in the sky, oil on canvas laid down on painter's board, 30.3 x 39.9 cm, signed l.l.

Willem Bastiaan Tholen

painting • previously for sale

Clouds in the sky

Willem Bastiaan Tholen | Evening twilight with a moored boat, the 'Eudia', oil on canvas, 71.2 x 102.3 cm, signed l.l.

Willem Bastiaan Tholen

painting • previously for sale

Evening twilight with a moored boat, the 'Eudia'

Willem Bastiaan Tholen | Early morning, oil on canvas laid down on panel, 15.8 x 22.1 cm, signed l.r.

Willem Bastiaan Tholen

painting • previously for sale

Early morning

Willem Bastiaan Tholen | Enkhuizen, oil on canvas, 66.1 x 80.4 cm, signed l.l.

Willem Bastiaan Tholen

painting • previously for sale

Enkhuizen

Willem Bastiaan Tholen | Shipping in a calm, oil on painter's board, 31.0 x 40.8 cm, signed l.r.

Willem Bastiaan Tholen

painting • previously for sale

Shipping in a calm

Willem Bastiaan Tholen | Sunflowers, oil on canvas laid down on panel, 20.0 x 31.1 cm, signed l.l.

Willem Bastiaan Tholen

painting • previously for sale

Sunflowers

Willem Bastiaan Tholen | Stormy weather, The Zuiderzee, oil on canvas laid down on panel, 24.6 x 39.0 cm, signed l.l.

Willem Bastiaan Tholen

painting • previously for sale

Stormy weather, The Zuiderzee

Willem Bastiaan Tholen | Houses along a waterway, oil on panel, 18.8 x 24.5 cm, signed l.c. and dated '04

Willem Bastiaan Tholen

painting • previously for sale

Houses along a waterway

Willem Bastiaan Tholen | Moored boat, oil on canvas laid down on panel, 18.2 x 28.5 cm, signed l.l. and painted circa 1910

Willem Bastiaan Tholen

painting • previously for sale

Moored boat

Willem Bastiaan Tholen | Evening twilight, oil on canvas laid down on panel, 45.0 x 62.5 cm, signed l.l.

Willem Bastiaan Tholen

painting • previously for sale

Evening twilight

Willem Bastiaan Tholen | Morning twilight (Warmond), oil on canvas, 46.9 x 76.2 cm, signed l.r.

Willem Bastiaan Tholen

painting • previously for sale

Morning twilight (Warmond)

Willem Bastiaan Tholen | Houses behind the dunes, oil on panel, 31.8 x 24.2 cm, signed l.r.

Willem Bastiaan Tholen

painting • previously for sale

Houses behind the dunes

Willem Bastiaan Tholen | A moored flatboat, oil on canvas laid down on panel, 25.3 x 38.7 cm, signed l.r. and dated '11

Willem Bastiaan Tholen

painting • previously for sale

A moored flatboat

Willem Bastiaan Tholen | The Zuiderzee, oil on canvas laid down on panel, 25.7 x 37.5 cm, dated '30

Willem Bastiaan Tholen

painting • previously for sale

The Zuiderzee

Willem Bastiaan Tholen | The vegetable garden, oil on panel, 29.1 x 49.2 cm, signed l.l.

Willem Bastiaan Tholen

painting • previously for sale

The vegetable garden

Willem Bastiaan Tholen | Children playing, oil on canvas, 50.5 x 74.5 cm, signed l.r.

Willem Bastiaan Tholen

painting • previously for sale

Children playing

Willem Bastiaan Tholen | A view of the 'Willemstraat', Scheveningen, oil on canvas, 58.4 x 37.5 cm, signed l.l. and dated '94

Willem Bastiaan Tholen

painting • previously for sale

A view of the 'Willemstraat', Scheveningen

Willem Bastiaan Tholen | Feeding chickens, oil on canvas, 37.3 x 108.2 cm, signed l.l.

Willem Bastiaan Tholen

painting • previously for sale

Feeding chickens

Willem Bastiaan Tholen | A stream, with 'Huize Cannenburgh' in the distance, oil on canvas, 76.3 x 60.3 cm, signed l.l.

Willem Bastiaan Tholen

painting • previously for sale

A stream, with 'Huize Cannenburgh' in the distance

Willem Bastiaan Tholen | A bridge, Giethoorn, oil on canvas laid down on panel, 42.2 x 29.5 cm, signed l.l. and dated '81

Willem Bastiaan Tholen

painting • previously for sale

A bridge, Giethoorn

Willem Bastiaan Tholen | A view of the Cuneratoren, Rhenen, oil on canvas laid down on panel, 26.2 x 30.7 cm, signed l.l.

Willem Bastiaan Tholen

painting • previously for sale

A view of the Cuneratoren, Rhenen

Willem Bastiaan Tholen | Young girl in a wooded landscape, oil on canvas laid down on panel, 21.3 x 26.2 cm, signed u.r.

Willem Bastiaan Tholen

painting • previously for sale

Young girl in a wooded landscape

Willem Bastiaan Tholen | Child on a country lane, oil on canvas laid down on panel, 26.0 x 38.5 cm, signed l.l.

Willem Bastiaan Tholen

painting • previously for sale

Child on a country lane

Willem Bastiaan Tholen | View of the Zuiderzee from Hotel van Diepen, Volendam, oil on canvas, 70.0 x 58.5 cm, signed l.r.

Willem Bastiaan Tholen

painting • previously for sale

View of the Zuiderzee from Hotel van Diepen, Volendam

Willem Bastiaan Tholen | View of the 'Veerse meer', oil on canvas laid down on panel, 18.7 x 24.1 cm, signed l.r. and dated 98

Willem Bastiaan Tholen

painting • previously for sale

View of the 'Veerse meer'

Willem Bastiaan Tholen | A shed, oil on canvas laid down on panel, 19.0 x 28.5 cm, signed l.l. and dated '04

Willem Bastiaan Tholen

painting • previously for sale

A shed

Willem Bastiaan Tholen | Fishing boats, Zuiderzee, oil on canvas, 71.0 x 60.0 cm, signed l.l.

Willem Bastiaan Tholen

painting • previously for sale

Fishing boats, Zuiderzee

Willem Bastiaan Tholen | Evening twilight, oil on canvas, 71.0 x 101.0 cm, signed l.l.

Willem Bastiaan Tholen

painting • previously for sale

Evening twilight

Willem Bastiaan Tholen | The vegetable garden of Ewijkshoeve with rainbow, watercolour and gouache on paper, 35.6 x 53.6 cm, signed l.l.

Willem Bastiaan Tholen

watercolour • drawing • previously for sale

The vegetable garden of Ewijkshoeve with rainbow

Willem Bastiaan Tholen | Figures in a forest landscape, watercolour on paper, 33.0 x 47.4 cm, signed l.l.

Willem Bastiaan Tholen

watercolour • drawing • previously for sale

Figures in a forest landscape

Willem Bastiaan Tholen | A bridge, Giethoorn, watercolour on paper, 35.5 x 51.0 cm, signed l.l.

Willem Bastiaan Tholen

watercolour • drawing • previously for sale

A bridge, Giethoorn

Willem Bastiaan Tholen | A ditch, Giethoorn, watercolour on paper, 51.0 x 41.0 cm, signed l.l.

Willem Bastiaan Tholen

watercolour • drawing • previously for sale

A ditch, Giethoorn

Willem Bastiaan Tholen | Shipping on the Zuiderzee, pencil on paper, 22.5 x 30.0 cm, signed l.l.

Willem Bastiaan Tholen

watercolour • drawing • previously for sale

Shipping on the Zuiderzee

Willem Bastiaan Tholen | Shipping on the Zuiderzee, pencil on paper, 22.5 x 30.0 cm, signed l.r. with initials

Willem Bastiaan Tholen

watercolour • drawing • previously for sale

Shipping on the Zuiderzee

Willem Bastiaan Tholen | Swinging, watercolour on paper, 55.0 x 41.5 cm, signed l.r.

Willem Bastiaan Tholen

watercolour • drawing • previously for sale

Swinging

Willem Bastiaan Tholen | Farm along a waterway, watercolour on paper, 42.0 x 33.0 cm, signed l.l.

Willem Bastiaan Tholen

watercolour • drawing • previously for sale

Farm along a waterway

Willem Bastiaan Tholen | Draw-bridge in a landscape, watercolour on paper, 42.0 x 32.0 cm, signed l.r.

Willem Bastiaan Tholen

watercolour • drawing • previously for sale

Draw-bridge in a landscape


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