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"SKATERS ON A FROZEN WATERWAY" | NICOLAAS JOHANNES ROOSENBOOM (DUTCH, 1805-1880)
In oil on board, signed lower left "N.J. Roosenboom f"
Item # 009QJK18W
A rich scene captured during the golden hour of sunset, the town is congregated on the frozen waterway running through a Dutch village. Lights are on in the thatched-roof brick building beside the canal, a large shipping vessel docked alongside while a couple skates past arm-in-arm. Three townsfolk are huddled around a table in conversation while in the distance various figures are busily skating about with a larger town disappearing into the horizon. The sky is a kaleidoscope of warm hues from brilliant pink at the skyline to magenta, blues, fiery oranges and various shades of white as the sun casts its last light against the atmosphere.
The work is executed in oil on wooden panel and is signed lower left "N. J. Roosenboom f".
Nicolaas Johannes Roosenboom was born in Schellingwoude, what is today Amsterdam, in 1805. He studied landscape painting under the leading romantic landscape painter of his day, Andreas Schelfhout; he married Schelfhout's daughter Maria and together they had four children. He is widely acknowledged as one of Schelfhout's most talented pupils and the influence of his master is evident in all of his work, specifically in the use of a low horizon in his perspective, the way he tells stories about the people through the subtle details of his scenes and his equal attention to both background and foreground execution.
With a nearly exclusive focus on landscapes, Roosenboom specialized in and was beloved for his winter scenes, though he completed many fine landscapes of summer, spring and fall. Due to the commercial success of his work, Roosenboom was able to travel extensively and moved his residence at least 15 times. He visited Germany, Scotland, England, spent a great deal of time in Belgium. It was there that he collaborated with Eugène Verboeckhoven, the famous painter of animals, completing the landscape details for the artist. He also collaborated with Henri Adlophe Schaep.
Artist Listings & Bibliography:
- E. Benezit Dictionary of Artists, Gründ, 2006
Measurements: 18 3/8" H x 25 7/8" W [panel]; 23 3/8" H x 30 3/4" W [frame]
Condition Report:
Professionally conserved with a bright brilliant surface. Light craquelure throughout. Under UV showing scattered touchups around the extreme edges, in the sky/clouds/trees along right side, in the ice behind the group of huddled figures, scattered other specks of touch up. Frame is 20th century with scattered wear/chips to gilding.