Artwork
Summer on the Maas
Summer on the Maas is an oil painting by the Impressionist artist Juliette Wytsman. It dates from 1911 and is held in the collection of the Royal Museum of Fine Arts Antwerp.
About this work
The artist left tiny brushstrokes to show the texture of the plants, making the scene feel alive.
This painting shows a soft, sunlit meadow full of tall grasses and wildflowers. A calm river runs through the middle, reflecting the light. On the far side, a line of trees and a few buildings sit quietly under a pale sky.
The artist left tiny brushstrokes to show the texture of the plants, making the scene feel alive. This painting was made in 1911 by a woman artist, which was unusual at the time.
Look up Juliette Wytsman to see more of her work.
Subject & Meaning
The painting depicts a summer landscape along the Meuse (Maas) river, featuring boats on the water, trees, and flowering plants. The scene captures a tranquil moment of rural Belgian life along this major European waterway. As a landscape painting, it represents the artist's engagement with the natural environment and local geography rather than narrative or allegorical content.
The inclusion of working boats suggests human presence and activity integrated into the natural setting, typical of the plein air landscape tradition.
Technique & Style
Summer on the Maas is an oil painting executed on canvas, a standard support for Juliette Wytsman's landscape work of this period. The composition measures 98.5 cm in height by 133.5 cm in width, giving it a broad horizontal orientation suited to its riverine subject, which depicts the Meuse along with flowering plants, boats, and trees.
Stylistically, the work belongs to the genre of landscape painting, handling the open expanse of the waterway and its banks in a manner consistent with early twentieth-century Belgian landscape practice. The horizontal canvas format accommodates the panoramic view of the river, while the inclusion of flowering vegetation and vessels anchors the scene as a summer view of the Maas.
History & Provenance
The painting was created in 1911 by Juliette Wytsman. It is held in the collection of the Royal Museum of Fine Arts Antwerp, where it remains on location. No information about its commission, prior ownership, or acquisition by the museum is provided in the available sources.
Summer on the Maas is held in the collection of the Royal Museum of Fine Arts Antwerp. The oil painting on canvas, created in 1911, measures 98.5 cm in height and 133.5 cm in width. While the work is part of the museum's permanent holdings, the available records do not list specific inventory numbers or detail its exhibition history.
Overview
Created in 1911, Summer on the Maas is an oil painting by Belgian impressionist Juliette Wytsman. The work portrays a tranquil stretch of the Meuse riverbank, where a small boat drifts amid a meadow of tall grasses and wildflowers under a pale sky. The composition balances water, foliage and distant trees, offering a quiet summer scene.
Context
Juliette Wytsman, married to fellow painter Rodolphe Wytsman, was an active participant in Belgium’s Impressionist circle. Her landscapes, including Summer on the Maas, contributed to the development of a regional interpretation of Impressionism that emphasized light and atmosphere in rural settings. The painting continues to illustrate her role in expanding the presence of women within the movement.
Artist & collection
Artist
Juliette Wytsman (née Trullemans; 14 July 1866 – 8 March 1925) was a Belgian impressionist painter. She was married to painter Rodolphe Wytsman. Her paintings are in the collections of several museums in Belgium.
- Mill Dam in Traunstein
The Trent below Weston Cliff
Sunset on a River
The Seine near Giverny
Banks of the Seine, Vétheuil
View of Dosseringen towards Nørrebro
A Landscape
A reach on the Thames, near Goring
Swamp
River Scene with Men in a Punt
The Seine at La Garenne Saint-Denis
Fishing on the Bank of the Oise, Pontoise
Lake Lucerne
View from Mount Holyoke, Northampton, Massachusetts, after a Thunderstorm—The Oxbow
New York Harbor with Pilot Boat "George Washington"
Marine Landscape
Threatening Sky, Bay of New York
Lake George and the Village of Caldwell
Rio de Janeiro Bay
Packet Ship Passing Castle Williams, New York Harbor