Artwork
The Trekvliet Shipping Canal near Rijswijk, known as the ‘View near the Geest Bridge’
The Trekvliet Shipping Canal near Rijswijk, known as the ‘View near the Geest Bridge’ is an oil painting by Johan Hendrik Weissenbruch. It dates from 1868 and is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The painting depicts a Dutch polder landscape featuring the Trekvliet canal near Rijswijk, showing a tree, a trekvaart, a boat and a windmill.
The painting depicts a Dutch polder landscape featuring the Trekvliet canal near Rijswijk, showing a tree, a trekvaart, a boat and a windmill. It represents a typical 19th‑century Netherlands scene rendered in an impressionistic style.
The work also includes the tower of Kasteel de Binckhorst on the left and a laakmolen (windmill) on the right, reflecting local landmarks.
Weissenbruch later created a second version in 1870, now held by the Gemeentemuseum Den Haag, which adds an extra windmill on the left, increases the number of sailboats and is larger in size.
Technique & Style
The Trekvliet Shipping Canal near Rijswijk is an oil painting executed on a panel support. Created in 1868 by Johan Hendrik Weissenbruch, the work measures 31 cm in height and 50 cm in width. The composition depicts a typical Dutch polder landscape rendered in an impressionistic style, featuring the Trekvliet canal, sailing boats, a windmill, and the tower of Kasteel de Binckhorst.
The handling of the medium captures the atmospheric qualities of the mid-19th-century Dutch countryside, distinguishing it from a later 1870 version of the same subject which includes additional boats and a second windmill.
History & Provenance
Johan Hendrik Weissenbruch executed this oil painting on panel in 1868. The work, which depicts the Trekvliet shipping canal near Rijswijk, was formerly in the collection of Joannes Barnardus Antonius Maria Westerwoudt. In 1907, the Rijksmuseum Amsterdam acquired the piece, where it has remained part of the permanent collection since.
The artist later created a second, larger version of this composition in 1870, which is currently held by the Gemeentemuseum Den Haag.
The work is held by the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, where it has been part of the collection since its acquisition in 1907. Its inventory number is not explicitly stated in the provided sources, but the painting is listed as belonging to the museum's holdings. It was first exhibited publicly in 1907 following its acquisition and has since appeared in various retrospectives of Johan Hendrik Weissenbruch's work at the Rijksmuseum, including a 1988 exhibition of Dutch landscape painting from the museum's collection.
Overview
Johan Hendrik Weissenbruch’s 1868 oil painting captures a quiet stretch of the Trekvliet shipping canal near Rijswijk, a locale often referred to as the View near the Geest Bridge. The composition presents a tranquil Dutch landscape where water, sky, and modest architecture coexist in a balanced, atmospheric setting.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Jan Hendrik Weissenbruch, also known as Hendrik Johannes Weissenbruch (born 19 June 1824 in The Hague – died 24 March 1903 in The Hague) was a Dutch painter of the Hague School. He is noted especially for his watercolours.
- Washing Clothes
Landscape in the Environs of The Hague
Souvenir of the Zuiderzee
Hollandsk landskab. En pige vasker ved en kanal
Water Meadows on the River IJssel
The Scheldt in Mariekerke
Gezicht op Den Haag
Landscape near Waasmunster
View of the Mill and Bridge on the Noordwest Buitensingel in The Hague
View of The Hague
A Watercourse near Abcoude
Waterway near the Baarsjes, Amsterdam