Fishermen on the Beach

Along the Dutch coast are few natural harbors, since the sandy soil of the Rhine delta merges gradually with the sea. With the invention of sturdy boats with near-flat bottoms, Dutch fishermen could beach them for unloading. Here, a fishing family in native costume gathers near the boat for rest, though a curious old woman tries to peek at
their catch.

The patriarch of the Koekkoek family, whose paintings were the most sought-after in the 19th-century Netherlands, Johannes Hermanus was self-taught. Working in Veere and Middelburg along the southern Dutch coast, he made a modest career as a marine painter and drawing teacher. His success in exhibitions in Haarlem and Amsterdam led him to move to the latter city in 1833.