Artwork
Windmills near Rotterdam
Windmills near Rotterdam is an oil painting by the Barbizon school artist Johan Jongkind. It dates from 1857 and is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
Jongkind renders the windmills as understated background motifs, suggesting human industry harmonizing with nature rather than dominating it.
The work depicts a tranquil riverside scene near Rotterdam featuring a small boat and a solitary tree, elements that underscore the quiet domesticity of the Dutch countryside. Jongkind renders the windmills as understated background motifs, suggesting human industry harmonizing with nature rather than dominating it. The composition balances atmospheric light with meticulous detail, reflecting the artist's fascination with fleeting weather effects and the everyday labor of fishermen.
Together these symbols convey a contemplative view of rural life, where industry and landscape coexist in delicate equilibrium.
Technique & Style
Windmills near Rotterdam is an 1857 oil painting on canvas created by Johan Jongkind. The work measures 43 cm in height by 55 cm in width and depicts a landscape featuring a boat and a tree. It is classified as a landscape painting and exemplifies Jongkind's approach to atmospheric rendering and compositional detail. The piece belongs to the Rijksmuseum collection and was previously owned by Joannes Barnardus Antonius Maria Westerwoudt.
History & Provenance
Johan Jongkind painted Windmills near Rotterdam in 1857, working in oil on canvas. The work measures 43 by 55 cm.
The painting was later owned by Joannes Barnardus Antonius Maria Westerwoudt before entering the collection of the Rijksmuseum, where it remains today.
Windmills near Rotterdam is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum. According to Wikidata records, the painting is part of the museum's holdings and was previously owned by Joannes Barnardus Antonius Maria Westerwoudt before entering the institution's collection.
No specific accession number or exhibition history is documented in the available sources for this work.
Overview
Johan Jongkind’s 1857 oil painting Windmills near Rotterdam presents a tranquil riverside scene in the Netherlands. A tall wooden windmill dominates the foreground, its sails angled against a pale sky, while a modest boat with two occupants drifts nearby. A woman in dark clothing and a child stand on the bank, and distant church spires and additional windmills recede into the hazy background.
Context
Jongkind, a Dutch marine painter and printmaker, was noted for his depictions of light on water and land. Windmills near Rotterdam exemplifies his interest in ordinary Dutch scenery and his role as a forerunner to the Impressionist movement, influencing younger artists who pursued similar atmospheric effects.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Johan Barthold Jongkind (Dutch pronunciation:; 3 June 1819 – 9 February 1891) was a Dutch painter and printmaker. He painted marine landscapes in a free manner and is regarded as a forerunner of impressionism.
