Chris Beekman - Dekkersduin - The Hague

This landscape painting shows an idyllic view of the Dekkersduin in The Hague, captured by Chris Beekman in 1907 (possibly 1904). The work dates from the period in which Beekman worked at the prestigious Rozenburg pottery. Beekman began drawing and painting at a young age, and he showed great talent in this, which gave him a solid foundation in the art tradition in which he grew up.

The painting shows a wide, open meadow, where a few trees seem to move in a breeze. The brushstrokes are energetic and accurate, with an emphasis on the texture of the grass and foliage. The atmosphere is determined by the sky, where soft clouds alternate the bright blue and the light is subtly diffused over the landscape.

Although Beekman would later become known for his affiliation with De Stijl and his experimental abstract work, this early painting betrays his thorough training in the naturalist tradition and his affinity with nature. It is a beautiful example of his mastery of capturing a dynamic landscape, while at the same time providing a window into a moment in art history when the Hague School was still very much in evidence.

The painting is signed twice, once in full in black at the bottom left and in red at the bottom right Christ B 1907 (1904?)