Barend Cornelis Koekkoek

In the collection of a Rhode Island Estate

Sale: Sotheby's New York, 3 May 2000, lot 3 (sold for 214,750 USD)

With Richard Green, London

A pivotal figure in the evolution of Dutch nineteenth century painting, Koekkoek was born in Middleburg and trained, like his brothers, under his father Johannes Hermanus (1778-1851) before joining the Academy in Amsterdam. Quickly, Barend Cornelis' landscapes earned an international renown which placed him in the vanguard of Dutch romanticism. In 1856, the essence of this movement was identified by an anonymous writer reviewing the Paris Exposition Universelle: " An eye open to nature's representation- in these the Dutch excel, showing themselves thoroughly impregnated with the spirit and teachings of their forefathers..." (Kunstkronijk, No.VXII, 1856) Works by such artists as Andrea Schelfhout (1787-1870) and Koekkoek were inspired by the Dutch Golden Age landscapists. There was during the Romantic movement in Holland in the 19th century a resurgence of aesthetic and commercial interest in such masters as Hobbema and Wynants- both of whom find generous echoes in A Winter Village.

We are grateful to Guido de Werd who has kindly confirmed the authenticity of this work.