Willem de Zwart Dutch, 1862-1931

A. Plasschaert, Kritiek van Beeldende Kunsten III (1906), p. 29
R. Bionda, Willem de Zwart 1862-1931, Haarlem 1984, pp. 43-45, p. 106-107

The present lot was executed around 1897-1900, when Willem de Zwart lived in Het Gooi. During this period he painted several views of the cattle market on the Groest in Hilversum. According to the art historian G.H. Marius, it enabled the artist to distance himself from the Hague School in style as well as subject matter. As Richard Bionda noticed in his excellent book on the artist, De Zwart studied the farmers extensively, especially their attitudes and movements, of which he executed numerous drawings. The present lot brings the motive to the foreground, close to the viewer, who is drawn into that space. This effect is enhanced by the size of the painting, being by far the largest and most impressive cattle market Willem de Zwart ever painted. 
 
The present lot can be compared to an etching of the same subject, with the image reversed. Bionda dates this etching ca. 1898. Interesting enough, the Dutch art critic Albert Plasschaert mentioned in 1906 the existence of a painting with the same subject as the etching. This painting is very probably the present lot.

The artist also painted a watercolour of the same subject, illustrated in P.A. Scheen, Lexicon Nederlandse Beeldende Kunstenaars 1750-1950, The Hague 1970, illustration 362

Onderschriften bij steunfoto’s:

1. Willem de Zwart, Cattle market on the Groest in Hilversum, etching, 48 x 61,6 cm.

2. Willem de Zwart, Cattle market, watercolour, 54 x 72 cm.