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Willem de Zwartartist • painter • watercolourist • draughtsmanDen Haag 1862-1931

biography of Wilhelmus Hendrikus Petrus Johannes 'Willem' de Zwart

Wilhelmus Hendrikus Petrus Johannes 'Willem' de Zwart, who is counted among the youngest generation of painters of the Hague School, is sometimes referred to as the 'Breitner in The Hague'. In his choice of subjects he belonged to the Hague School, in his style and use of color to the Amsterdam Impressionists. His landscapes, cityscapes, figure pieces, portraits and still lifes show a smooth, daring brushstroke. De Zwart applied the paint thickly, sometimes directly from a tube, with bright touches of color in bold reds, yellows and blues, which give his paintings a special vibrancy. The time between 1880 and 1895 is considered to be his most fertile period, during which he made his strongest works.

Born and died in The Hague (1862-1931), De Zwart received his first painting lessons at the Hague Academy of Visual Arts. George Hendrik Breitner, Suze Robertson, Isaac Israels and Floris Verster were his fellow students. In the evening he was apprenticed to Jacob Maris, one of the Hague School painters from the very beginning. Maris's influence has long been visible in the landscapes and forest views that De Zwart painted up to 1885. In 1885 he became a member of Pulchri studio and the Dutch Etching Club. In the same year he went with his friend Breitner to Drenthe, where they mainly painted in nature. In 1889 De Zwart moved to Loosduinen and married Maria Reevers there in 1892. At the time, De Zwart often painted cityscapes with stationary carriages, but also still lifes and landscapes in the Loosduinen area. He became increasingly daring and his test broadened. After moving with his family to Het Gooi in 1894, he lived in Soest and Hilversum, he took his inspiration from the Laren School, recording the doings of the farmers in that area.

In 1900 De Zwart moved to Amsterdam, where he spent a lot of time with Breitner and Willem Witsen. At that time he made cityscapes - often with tram horses and figure pieces and girls with a kimono - showing the influence of his friends. But De Zwart was almost never satisfied with his work, unsure as he was. He once wrote to a colleague: 'I went to see the painting this afternoon, your comments are correct as always. I do not entirely agree with you that it is so special (…) circumstances already seem to have a great deal of influence that what I envision to make does not fully achieve what I imagined, which is also the case with this painting. '

After living in Bloemendaal for a year in 1905, De Zwart had still not found peace, on the contrary: 'living in such a row of houses was torment for the nervous, suspicious man' and he soon moved to Scheveningen. ' Once settled there, he apparently found peace in painting beach scenes with fishermen and the bomb barges that were brought in. However, his unrest continued and he increasingly suffered from breakdowns and depression. However, interest in his work, especially his early paintings, increased. From 1892 De Zwart had a 'contract' with Kunsthandel E.J. van Wisselingh & Co in Amsterdam, where many exhibitions were organized and his work was in great demand. In those years De Zwart was awarded several times nationally and internationally, including at the world exhibitions in Chicago in 1892 and in Antwerp in 1894. When the contract with Van Wisselingh was broken after 1910, the insecure and serious De Zwart failed to hold his own and fell prey to money worries and heavy depression. Moreover, his wife decided to divorce him; she could no longer cope with the tensions that caused his depression. In 1907 he was admitted to Oud Rosenburg in Loosduinen for persecution madness. After his treatment, De Zwart moved to Veur (Leidschendam), where he painted many meadow landscapes with milking farmers.

From 1910 until his death in 1931 it remained quiet around De Zwart. Few exhibitions, no public tribute. In 1917 he returned to The Hague for good, where he lived and worked in the lee, tormented by 'ghosts' who had a negative impact on his work. Out of dissatisfaction, he even decided to destroy part of his work. After a few restless last years, during which he moved numerous times within The Hague, De Zwart died of a stroke in 1931.

De Zwart's work is counted as part of the second bloom of the Hague School; a group of artists who took their own direction in the Hague environment. They all had a bond with the old Hague Scholers, often with one in particular, as De Zwart had with Jacob Maris. The Dutch naturalism of the Hague School was continued in the same vein, but with its own interpretation, akin to the Amsterdam Impressionists of the time.


for salepaintings, watercolours and drawings by Willem de Zwart


Willem de Zwart | On the beach in a storm, oil on panel, 11.8 x 26.5 cm, signed l.r. and painted circa 1893-1894

Willem de Zwart

painting • for sale

On the beach in a storm

Willem de Zwart | Still life with gladioli, geraniums and potted roses, oil on canvas, 61.3 x 79.5 cm, signed u.l.

Willem de Zwart

painting • for sale

Still life with gladioli, geraniums and potted roses

Willem de Zwart | A bouquet with an arum, narcissus and roses, oil on canvas, 44.2 x 35.3 cm, signed c.r.

Willem de Zwart

painting • for sale

A bouquet with an arum, narcissus and roses

Willem de Zwart | Children dancing to the street musician, oil on panel, 22.2 x 35.6 cm, signed l.r. and painted ca. 1890

Willem de Zwart

painting • for sale

Children dancing to the street musician

Willem de Zwart | View on farmhouse with cattle, oil on canvas, 50.1 x 65.2 cm, signed l.r.

Willem de Zwart

painting • for sale

View on farmhouse with cattle

Willem de Zwart | A farmstead in summer, oil on canvas, 50.5 x 65.4 cm, signed l.r.

Willem de Zwart

painting • for sale

A farmstead in summer

Willem de Zwart | The painter's children looking at picture books, oil on canvas laid down on board, 33.4 x 29.5 cm, signed l.r.

Willem de Zwart

painting • for sale

The painter's children looking at picture books

Willem de Zwart | Coaches near the station Hollandse Spoor, The Hague, oil on canvas, 46.4 x 79.9 cm, signed l.r.

Willem de Zwart

painting • for sale

Coaches near the station Hollandse Spoor, The Hague

Willem de Zwart | Peasant woman with wheelbarrow, watercolour on paper, 35.6 x 24.7 cm, signed l.r. and painted in the 1890's

Willem de Zwart

watercolour • drawing • for sale

Peasant woman with wheelbarrow

Willem de Zwart | A view of Scheveningen beach with the Palais de Danse, black chalk and watercolour on paper, 24.6 x 32.3 cm, signed l.r.

Willem de Zwart

watercolour • drawing • for sale

A view of Scheveningen beach with the Palais de Danse

Willem de Zwart | Nanny with children and stroller, watercolour on paper, 19.1 x 12.8 cm, signed l.r. with initials

Willem de Zwart

watercolour • drawing • for sale

Nanny with children and stroller

Willem de Zwart | Milking time, watercolour and gouache on paper, 52.0 x 72.0 cm, signed l.r.

Willem de Zwart

watercolour • drawing • for sale

Milking time


previously for salepaintings, watercolours and drawings by Willem de Zwart


Willem de Zwart | Violets and red nasturtiums, oil on panel, 13.1 x 15.2 cm, signed l.r. with initials

Willem de Zwart

painting • previously for sale

Violets and red nasturtiums

Willem de Zwart | A snow-covered village, oil on canvas laid down on panel, 41.0 x 29.5 cm, signed l.l.

Willem de Zwart

painting • previously for sale

A snow-covered village

Willem de Zwart | A summer day behind the beach of Loosduinen, oil on canvas, 65.0 x 50.8 cm, signed l.l.

Willem de Zwart

painting • previously for sale

A summer day behind the beach of Loosduinen

Willem de Zwart | After the party, oil on panel, 16.7 x 21.9 cm, signed l.l. with initials

Willem de Zwart

painting • previously for sale

After the party

Willem de Zwart | Gathering wood in the dunes, oil on panel, 32.0 x 24.1 cm, signed l.r.

Willem de Zwart

painting • previously for sale

Gathering wood in the dunes

Willem de Zwart | Marietje, the artist's daughter, in a garden, oil on canvas laid down on panel, 27.0 x 35.7 cm, signed l.r. and painted ca. 1895

Willem de Zwart

painting • previously for sale

Marietje, the artist's daughter, in a garden

Willem de Zwart | The young musician in Spanish costume, oil on panel, 42.0 x 21.7 cm, signed u.l. and painted 1889

Willem de Zwart

painting • previously for sale

The young musician in Spanish costume

Willem de Zwart | Labourers along a track, The Hague, oil on canvas laid down on panel, 16.3 x 33.9 cm, signed l.r. with initials

Willem de Zwart

painting • previously for sale

Labourers along a track, The Hague

Willem de Zwart | A farm in a landscape, oil on canvas laid down on panel, 29.6 x 39.9 cm, signed l.l.

Willem de Zwart

painting • previously for sale

A farm in a landscape

Willem de Zwart | Carriages by 'Station Staatsspoor' , The Hague, oil on panel, 18.3 x 29.1 cm, signed l.r.

Willem de Zwart

painting • previously for sale

Carriages by 'Station Staatsspoor' , The Hague

Willem de Zwart | Figures in the 'Haagse bos', oil on panel, 22.4 x 30.5 cm, signed l.r. with initials

Willem de Zwart

painting • previously for sale

Figures in the 'Haagse bos'

Willem de Zwart | A farm in a polder landscape, oil on panel, 29.5 x 39.8 cm, signed l.r.

Willem de Zwart

painting • previously for sale

A farm in a polder landscape

Willem de Zwart | A view of the heath with a pond, oil on canvas, 26.5 x 44.3 cm, signed l.r.

Willem de Zwart

painting • previously for sale

A view of the heath with a pond

Willem de Zwart | A farm in a summer landscape, oil on canvas, 33.0 x 48.0 cm, signed l.r.

Willem de Zwart

painting • previously for sale

A farm in a summer landscape

Willem de Zwart | A river landscape, oil on canvas, 35.8 x 45.5 cm, signed l.l.

Willem de Zwart

painting • previously for sale

A river landscape

Willem de Zwart | The artist's wife, oil on canvas laid down on panel, 28.0 x 27.0 cm, signed l.r. with initials

Willem de Zwart

painting • previously for sale

The artist's wife

Willem de Zwart | Children playing on the beach of Scheveningen, oil on panel, 20.0 x 22.5 cm, signed l.l.

Willem de Zwart

painting • previously for sale

Children playing on the beach of Scheveningen

Willem de Zwart | Elegant figures on the beach, oil on panel, 14.0 x 36.0 cm, signed l.r.

Willem de Zwart

painting • previously for sale

Elegant figures on the beach

Willem de Zwart | A farmer in a landscape, oil on canvas, 33.5 x 45.7 cm, signed l.r.

Willem de Zwart

painting • previously for sale

A farmer in a landscape

Willem de Zwart | Au Cafe, oil on panel, 36.5 x 24.4 cm, signed l.r.

Willem de Zwart

painting • previously for sale

Au Cafe

Willem de Zwart | A polder landscape, oil on panel, 24.5 x 42.7 cm, signed l.l.

Willem de Zwart

painting • previously for sale

A polder landscape

Willem de Zwart | Dune landscape, Scheveningen, oil on panel, 14.5 x 18.5 cm, signed l.r.

Willem de Zwart

painting • previously for sale

Dune landscape, Scheveningen

Willem de Zwart | Picking flowers, oil on panel, 47.3 x 35.5 cm, signed l.r.

Willem de Zwart

painting • previously for sale

Picking flowers

Willem de Zwart | Feeding the cows, watercolour on paper, 25.3 x 35.0 cm, signed l.r.

Willem de Zwart

watercolour • drawing • previously for sale

Feeding the cows

Willem de Zwart | Figures on a frozen canal, watercolour and gouache on paper, 34.2 x 40.5 cm, signed l.r.

Willem de Zwart

watercolour • drawing • previously for sale

Figures on a frozen canal

Willem de Zwart | Feeding the pig, watercolour on paper, 36.3 x 21.6 cm, signed l.l.

Willem de Zwart

watercolour • drawing • previously for sale

Feeding the pig

Willem de Zwart | A village street, charcoal, watercolour and gouache on paper, 28.0 x 30.6 cm, signed l.r.

Willem de Zwart

watercolour • drawing • previously for sale

A village street

Willem de Zwart | Harnessing the horses, watercolour on paper, 30.0 x 60.0 cm, signed l.l.

Willem de Zwart

watercolour • drawing • previously for sale

Harnessing the horses

Willem de Zwart | Homeward bound, charcoal and watercolour on paper, 20.5 x 39.5 cm, signed l.r.

Willem de Zwart

watercolour • drawing • previously for sale

Homeward bound

Willem de Zwart | A village in summer, watercolour on paper, 25.5 x 36.5 cm, signed l.l.

Willem de Zwart

watercolour • drawing • previously for sale

A village in summer

Willem de Zwart | Children playing on the beach, watercolour on paper, 25.3 x 34.9 cm, signed l.r. and dated circa 1905

Willem de Zwart

watercolour • drawing • previously for sale

Children playing on the beach

Willem de Zwart | Unloading the catch, watercolour on paper, 34.6 x 43.8 cm, signed l.r.

Willem de Zwart

watercolour • drawing • previously for sale

Unloading the catch

Willem de Zwart | Unloading the catch, Scheveningen, watercolour on paper, 56.5 x 40.5 cm, signed l.r.

Willem de Zwart

watercolour • drawing • previously for sale

Unloading the catch, Scheveningen

Willem de Zwart | Milking time, watercolour on paper, 45.5 x 68.0 cm, signed l.r.

Willem de Zwart

watercolour • drawing • previously for sale

Milking time

Willem de Zwart | Laundress, watercolour on paper, 36.0 x 52.0 cm

Willem de Zwart

watercolour • drawing • previously for sale

Laundress


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