Collection Treasures

Both Mesdag and Mesdag-van Houten became professional painters relatively late in life. They were greatly occupied with nature and their work conveys their primary concern, which was ‘to gain an understanding of nature’ – meaning they were nature activists before such a term existed.

Love for the sea

The sea became Mesdag’s most important subject. In his own words: ‘The sea is mine.’ His beloved sea was the reason he settled in The Hague, from which he could admire the North Sea on a daily basis. Mesdag had a masterful ability to depict extreme weather conditions, from savage waves or a storm to a tranquil sea under massive banks of clouds.

His work began to garner international acclaim in 1870, culminating in the pinnacle of his artistic career in 1881: The Panorama of Scheveningen.

Renowned for her unique use of colour

Mesdag-van Houten painted still-lifes, portraits and landscapes in and around Scheveningen, in Drenthe and in the Veluwe region. She was most renowned for her unique use of colour and was among the most well-known and acclaimed female artists of her era.