Harrie Kuijten artwork • painting • previously for sale Shell-fishermen on a moonlit beach

Harrie Kuijten's work is characterized by his diverse styles, refusing to be categorized into any particular movement. He was always fascinated by the human figure, and besides his preference for the nude, which he would continue to paint throughout his life, he also depicted beach scenes alongside celebrations and colorful market scenes, showcasing the sunny side of life. Besides the success he enjoyed with his nudes from 1915 onward, the painter also achieved considerable fame with his 'beaches.' They are generally not large and are without exception composed in quick, precise strokes: snapshots of seaside life on the Dutch coast. The way he paints the skies and the movement of the sea with its rolling waves, with the colorful bathers in the surf, are beautiful. From the 1930s onward, Kuijten's work shows an affinity with the Bergen School in the dark, robustly composed Bergen landscapes and still lifes.