Josef Israels (1824-1911) Netherlands

Josef Israels (1824-1911) Netherlands
Josef Israels (1824-1911) Watercolor on paper, signed lower left, measures 6 x 9 and 13.5 x 17.5 icnhes w/frame. From an Upstate New York estate. Jozef Israels was educated at the Amsterdam Academy (1840) and at the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris, under Vernet and Delaroche. On his return to Amsterdam in 1847, he worked as a historical and religious painter and increasingly, from 1852, concentrated on Dutch history.The work for which he was best known dates from the 1860s, when his brushwork loosened and he developed a soft tonal range of grays and browns (e.g. Maternal Bliss, 1890, Amsterdam, Rijksmuseum). In the 1870's he settled in The Hague and became one of the leading members of The Hague School. He has been called the "Dutch Millet" due to his similar subject matter and sympathy for the poor (e.g. Growing Old, 1878, The Hague). During his lifetime Israels won great popularity for his piously sentimental approach to his work.Israels' paintings were especially popular in Britain after Fishermen Carrying a Drowned Man (1861, London, National Gallery) was exhibited at the Royal Academy. His participation in the Paris Exhibition of 1878 cemented Israel's reputation. His son, Isaac (1865-1934) also worked at The Hague, but in a style almost completely independent of his father's. In his later life Israels' work was influenced by his son, towards a lighter, more impressionistic palette. Max Liebermann, his pupil and contemporary, wrote that "Israels first realized himself at an age at which most painters have already produced their best work; and, had he had the misfortune to die at forty, Holland would have been unable to boast of one of her greatest sons."
Condition: The absence of a condition report does not imply an object is free of defects. All items may have normal signs of age and wear commensurate with their age; these issues will likely not be mentioned in the condition report. Please contact the auction house before the auction with any condition questions. Questions about condition will not be answered after purchase. Condition reports are provided as a courtesy, and we are not responsible for any errors or omissions.
Important note on frames: Frames are not guaranteed to be in the same condition as they are in the item photograph. Due to handling and shipping, many frames, especially antique ones, are prone to losses. If you have questions about the condition of a frame, please contact us prior to the auction.