Anton Smeerdijk - oil on canvas - ditch in polder near Kortenhoef - Sold

Beautiful bright painting by Anton Smeerdijk (Kortenhoef 1885-1965) who painted a lot in and around Kortenhoef.
As the scion of a 's-Graveland laundry family, the painter Anton Smeerdijk showed artistic talent at an early age. As a child, he made sketches of the interior during a church service during the Sunday service of the reformed church, which he later developed into a Rembrandt painting. He was allowed to attend the Rijksacademie in Amsterdam, where, like so many others, he studied under professors Allebé, Dake and Van de Waay. His fellow students included the later 'moderns' Jan Sluyters and Leo Gestel. His early work shows that he was deeply impressed by the Hague School. His work is well known: "Winter in Kortenhoef", which is clearly inspired by work by Floris Vester and Victor Bauffe. The mood of a winter afternoon is beautifully expressed, the thick layer of snow is almost tangible. However, the clear outlines of houses, bridge, lamppost and figure reveal his dimensional stability, which he later found difficult to let go. Although Smeerdijk had already become acquainted with Luminism, light painting, at exhibitions in Amsterdam in 1910, his eyes were only opened to modern French-oriented art in 1913. During his first study trip to France, to Paris and along the Loire, he saw the overwhelming light for the first time and incorporated it into a series of radiant studies. "The Loire at Sancerre", a large canvas that was exhibited in the Municipal Museum in 1914, was immediately purchased by collector Regnault. It was also the year of experimentation: he focused on Pointillism, the originally French stippling technique. For example, he paints a scene of workers pulling a boat in the water with a thick rope over their shoulder.
Smeerdijk had a knack for traveling: in 1922 he made a long trip to Germany, Austria and Italy. Three years later he sought bright light on the French Riviera. His southern travels are responsible for the special colors of these paintings: the sky becomes turquoise, the houses salmon-colored and the shadows blue-lilac. This can also be seen in the village views that he made at home, of his own environment.

He has exhibitions all over the world: from Barcelona to Indonesia. At home, in his home designed by Wouter Hamdorff
He exhibits "De Gaard" in his own studio in August. Smeerdijk is versatile: landscapes, village and city views, flower still lifes and portraits, he has created it all. People regularly saw him, neatly dressed like a gentleman, with his field donkey in the meadow. He often painted Plein Air.
As the years pass, however, the flair with which he painted his paintings in his younger years disappears. His village views become a bit stiff, the polder landscapes that he produces in large series are a bit too smooth in design. His use of color becomes harsher. The great production continued until his death at the age of 83.

Source: "The imperishable view of Kortenhoef" by Carole Denninger.

Info: Scheen, Benezit