Wynand Johannes Joseph Nuyen Dutch, 1813-1839

Private collection, The Netherlands

H. Dinkelaar a.o., Wijnand Nuyen en zijn vrienden. Speurtocht in de Hollandse romantiek, Leiden 1993, pp. 76-79, colour illustration 6.09 on p. 78

Wijnand Nuyen's unique talent revealed itself at an early age. Only twelve years old, he served his apprenticeship with Andreas Schelfhout, one of the leading lanscape painters. Not much later he enrolled at the Academy of Arts in The Hague, where he studied under B.J. van Hove, a painter of townscapes. Decisive for his development was his acquaintance with French romanticism, which influenced him heavily during a trip to France. It shaped Nuyen’s unique style and turned him into one of the most progressive painters of his time. This pioneering role, coupled to his early death in 1839, secured his mythical status.

The present lot, which the artist painted in 1837, depicts a boating company in calm waters near a country estate. The joyful, elegantly dressed figures clearly indicate that this is a pleasure trip. Ever since the 17th century, boating was a popular pastime for the well-to-do. Although the painting doesn't have the dramatic content that earned Nuyen his greatest fame, it is unique in its large size, the mood of calm serenity and the beautiful, detailed rendering of the figures. To strengthen the sense of harmony and balance, Nuyen applied  compositional tricks like the mirroring of the boats in the calm, glassy water. He also ordered the composition along outspoken horizontal and vertical lines, such as the trees and the mast of the ship.

The large size suggests that the artist executed the present lot for a special occasion, most probabaly an exhibition. It might also have been commissioned by some nobleman at whose estate the two ships are moored. The coat of arms which can be seen on the fence could allude to a specific location.