Artwork
Evening on the Maas
Evening on the Maas is an oil painting by the Dutch Golden Age artist Jan van Goyen. It dates from 1645 and is held in the collection of the Museum of Fine Arts Boston.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The composition emphasizes the interplay of light and water, suggesting a contemplative mood that captures the quiet transition from day to night on the Maas.
The painting portrays the Meuse River at dusk, featuring a solitary sailboat navigating the waterway. This marine scene reflects van Goyen's fascination with atmospheric effects and the everyday activity of riverine commerce in the Dutch Republic. The composition emphasizes the interplay of light and water, suggesting a contemplative mood that captures the quiet transition from day to night on the Maas.
Technique & Style
Evening on the Maas is executed in oil paint on panel, a support characteristic of Jan van Goyen's tonal landscapes of the mid-1640s. The work measures 58.4 cm in height by 81.3 cm in width, adopting the broad horizontal format suited to its marine subject along the Meuse, with sailboats rendered against the river. Classified as a painting in the genre of marine art, the canvas reflects van Goyen's signature handling of atmospheric tonalism, in which scumbled oil layers and a restricted near-monochrome palette evoke the muted light of dusk over the water.
History & Provenance
Jan van Goyen created the oil painting Evening on the Maas in 1645. Executed on a panel support, the work depicts a marine scene featuring sailboats on the Meuse river. The piece currently resides in the collection of the Museum of Fine Arts Boston, which holds the artwork measuring 58.4 cm in height and 81.3 cm in width.
No specific details regarding the original commission or the intermediate ownership chain between the artist's studio and the museum are provided in the available records.
Evening on the Maas is held in the collection of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. The work, created in 1645, is executed in oil paint on a panel measuring 58.4 cm in height and 81.3 cm in width. While the painting depicts the Meuse river and sailboats, the provided sources do not list a specific inventory or accession number for the piece. Furthermore, no information regarding its exhibition history is available within the current documentation.
Overview
Evening on the Maas is a 1645 oil painting by Jan van Goyen, a Dutch landscape painter. It is held in the Museum of Fine Arts Boston.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Jan Josephszoon van Goyen (Dutch pronunciation: ; 13 January 1596 – 27 April 1656) was a Dutch landscape painter.
