Gerard Westermann artwork • painting • for sale Figures standing beside a draught horse

Shortly before 1900 Gerard Westermann, from Leeuwarden, started his education at the Rijksacademie in Amsterdam. He thus followed in the footsteps of fellow townsman J.H. Jurres, who had become a celebrated painter after his time at the academy in Amsterdam. Dream and history are initially Westermann's sources of inspiration. He idiosyncratically chooses his genre: knights, romantic scenes, figures and amazons, but also Amsterdam cityscapes. His rich oeuvre shows a great gift for portraying figures, horses and riders, portrayed in strong colors and shapes, often touching expressionism. Westermann was a board member of Arti en St. Lucas for many years and taught at the academy between 1918 and 1945, where he started his artistic career.