Artwork
Maneschijn op zee
Maneschijn op zee is an oil painting by the Impressionist artist Hendrik Willem Mesdag. It dates from 1891 and is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum.
About this work
Technique & Style
The medium and support combination typical of the period allowed for the detailed textural rendering of water and light characteristic of Mesdag's style.
Hendrik Willem Mesdag executed Maneschijn op zee in 1881 using oil paint applied to a panel support. The work measures 44.2 cm in height and 31 cm in width, adhering to the physical constraints of its rigid base. As a marine painting, the piece captures the interplay of moonlight on the sea surface, reflecting the artist's focus on atmospheric conditions within the genre.
The medium and support combination typical of the period allowed for the detailed textural rendering of water and light characteristic of Mesdag's style.
History & Provenance
The seascape Maneschijn op zee was painted by Hendrik Willem Mesdag in 1881, as recorded in the artist’s oeuvre and the Rijksmuseum’s holdings.
The work entered the Rijksmuseum’s collection through the Cultural Heritage Agency of the Netherlands, where it remains held. The painting’s dimensions are 44.2 cm in height by 31 cm in width, consistent with Mesdag’s panel format for marine subjects of this period.
The painting Maneschijn op zee is held by the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, where it forms part of the Cultural Heritage Agency of the Netherlands Art Collection. While the work is currently located at the Rijksmuseum, the collection is administered by the Cultural Heritage Agency of the Netherlands. The source does not provide a specific inventory or accession number for the piece.
Regarding exhibition history, the provided sources contain no information about past or future exhibitions where this work was displayed.
Context
Hendrik Willem Mesdag's 1881 marine painting Maneschijn op zee resides in the Rijksmuseum collection. The work exemplifies his expertise in atmospheric seascapes, reflecting 19th-century Dutch maritime tradition. Its technical execution in oil paint on panel demonstrates the realist approach characteristic of Mesdag's contemporary practice.
Overview
Created in 1891, this oil painting by Hendrik Willem Mesdag depicts a nocturnal seascape bathed in moonlight. The work is part of the Rijksmuseum’s collection and presents a mist‑filled horizon where the sea meets a darkened shore under a faint, silvery glow.
Subject & Meaning
The composition captures a quiet moment on the coast, where restless waves break against the shoreline while the night sky is illuminated by a subdued lunar light. The atmosphere conveys a sense of stillness and contemplation, inviting viewers to consider the interplay between nature’s power and its tranquil nocturnal aspects.
Artist & collection
Artist
Dutch painter Hendrik Willem Mesdag spent his career on water, turning choppy North Sea light into bold seascapes.
