Artwork
The Fisherman's Children
The Fisherman's Children is an oil painting by the Hague School artist Bernard Blommers. It dates from 1868 and is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
Rendered in oil on panel, the composition emphasizes everyday realism, reflecting 19th-century genre painting’s interest in ordinary domestic activities.
The painting depicts a father teaching his children to fish on a Dutch riverbank, a scene symbolizing diligent family labor and the transmission of livelihood traditions. The children’s focused gestures and the father’s steady hand convey quiet perseverance and the value of hard work. Rendered in oil on panel, the composition emphasizes everyday realism, reflecting 19th-century genre painting’s interest in ordinary domestic activities. The work measures 41.5 cm by 40.5 cm and belongs to the genre of genre scenes.
Technique & Style
The painting is executed in oil paint on a wooden panel, reflecting the 19th-century Dutch realist practice of using portable supports for domestic scenes. The relatively small dimensions of 41.5 cm by 40.5 cm suggest an intimate format suited for genre storytelling. Brushwork is described as delicate and attentive to surface texture, characteristic of Blommers' nuanced handling of light and domestic interiors. The work was created in 1868 and retains its original support structure without documented alterations.
History & Provenance
The Fisherman's Children is an 1868 oil painting by Bernard Blommers, originally created as a genre scene on panel. It entered the collection of Joannes Barnardus Antonius Maria Westerwoudt before being acquired by the Rijksmuseum, where it remains today.
The work measures 41.5 cm in height and 40.5 cm in width and was executed in 1868, as confirmed by its inception date and artist attribution.
The Fisherman's Children is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, where it is recorded as an oil-on-panel genre scene by Bernard Blommers dated 1868. According to Wikidata records, the painting was formerly owned by Joannes Barnardus Antonius Maria Westerwoudt before entering the museum's holdings. The work measures 41.5 by 40.5 centimeters. No exhibition history is documented in the available sources.
The painting's documented provenance traces from the Westerwoudt collection to its present location at the Rijksmuseum, where it remains part of the institution's holdings. No additional exhibition venues, loan history, or display dates are recorded in the provided materials.
Overview
Created in 1868, The Fisherman's Children is an oil on canvas by Dutch artist Bernard Blommers. The work belongs to the genre‑painting tradition, portraying a quiet domestic scene from a fishing community. It measures a modest size and is characterized by a restrained, muted palette that emphasizes the modest surroundings of its young subjects.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Bernardus Johannes (Bernard) Blommers (30 January 1845 in The Hague – 12 December 1914 in The Hague) was a Dutch etcher and painter of the Hague School.
