Artwork
A Polder Landscape after a Thunderstorm
A Polder Landscape after a Thunderstorm is an oil painting by the Impressionist artist Jacob Maris. It dates from 1896 and is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum.
About this work
Overview
The composition captures a low‑lying Dutch polder under a sky heavy with lingering clouds, suggesting recent rain.
Jacob Maris painted *A Polder Landscape after a Thunderstorm* in 1896, employing oil on canvas. The composition captures a low‑lying Dutch polder under a sky heavy with lingering clouds, suggesting recent rain. A narrow track cuts across the wet grass, while the muted palette of greens, browns, grays and a distant blue conveys the subdued light of a post‑storm atmosphere. The work is part of the Rijksmuseum’s collection.
Subject & Meaning
The scene presents a typical reclaimed landscape of the Netherlands, emphasizing the interaction between water and land after a downpour. The pale, streaked sky and reflective surface of the field evoke a moment of quiet after turbulence, inviting contemplation of the region’s constant negotiation with weather and water management.
Technique & Style
Maris applies thick, impasto brushstrokes especially on the trees, creating a tactile surface that contrasts with smoother areas of sky and water. The overall handling aligns with the Hague School’s realist tendencies while incorporating Impressionist concerns for fleeting light and atmospheric effects, evident in the soft, diffused colors and brisk, gestural strokes.
History & Provenance
Born into an artistic family that included brothers Willem and Matthijs, Jacob Maris was a prominent figure of the Hague School. After its creation, the painting entered the Rijksmuseum’s holdings, where it remains on display as part of the museum’s representation of late‑19th‑century Dutch landscape painting.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Jacob Henricus Maris (August 25, 1837 – August 7, 1899) was a Dutch painter, who with his brothers Willem and Matthijs belonged to what has come to be known as the Hague School of painters.
