A Reflection of Holland: The Best of the Hague School in the Rijksmuseum

The sea, the Dutch landscape, and simple country life were sources of inspiration for a group of 19th-century painters who became known as the Hague School. With works by Jacob Maris, Jozef Israëls, Hendrik Willem Mesdag, Anton Mauve, and many others, the Rijksmuseum owns one of the foremost collections of paintings and watercolors of the Hague School. Highlights include Children of the Sea by Israëls and The Truncated Mill by Maris. The artists of the Hague School rendered their subjects as realistically as possible while also attempting to express the feelings that the skies and panoramic views evoked in them. The loose and personal ways in which the Dutch landscape and the traditional day-to-day lives of farmers and fishermen were depicted ensure that these works are enduringly popular.