Anton Mauve Dutch, 1838-1888

Anton Mauve was born in Zaandam as the son of a Baptist preacher. It soon became evident that he wanted to become a painter. At the age of sixteen, he studied with the animal painter Pieter Frederik van Os. After finishing his training at Van Os’ studio, he briefly continued his education with the renowned horse painter Wouterus Verschuur Sr.

Mauve spent many summers in the rural village Oosterbeek. Here, he met several members of the Hague School like Willem Roelofs, Paul Gabriel en Gerard Bilders. Van Os’ old-fashioned ideas were soon replaced by a new aesthetic based on painting out of doors (en plein air) and the personal impression of unadorned nature. However, Mauve’s paintings do not have the casualness that typifies the paintings of the other members of the Hague School, but are in general more thought over and more colourful. He particularly made a name for himself as a painter of simple rural life.

Mauve’s interest in flocks of sheep dated from his Oosterbeek period. He later often re-addressed this theme in his Hague period, closely observing the large flocks of sheep that used to roam the slopes of Dekkersduin in those days. In June 1882 Mauve made several trips to the village of Laren, where he settled permanently in 1885.

The rural stillness which can be sensed in the present lot has been put down in words by Mauve in a letter to Willem Maris :‘Towards sunset I went to the heath (…). Near the brook, that shepherd came by again with his sheep. I can still hear the jingling and the pattering, as if it were beautiful music by Beethoven. I watched them slowly cross the heath until they finally passed out of sight - silence.’