Fishing boats at the Dutch coast

011082   Jacobus Albertus Michaël JACOBS [1812-1879]  Fishing Boats at the Dutch Coast
oil on panel, 41,2 x  51,5 cm, signed l.r. "Jacob Jacobs"

Jacob Albert Michael JACOBS [1812 Antwerpia -1879 Antwerpia] A Belgian marine, landscape, and animal painter. Jacobs studied at the Academy of Fine Arts in Antwerp, in the studios of Ignace van Brée (1773-1839) and Egidius Wappers (1803-1874). Fascinated with Old Masters’ painting, the artist was filled with a genuine admiration for the works of Claude Lorrain, Willem van de Velde, and Joseph Vernet. In 1833 he made his debut and immediately gained recognition at the Salon in Antwerp. In the following years he exhibited at the Salons in Ghent and Brussels as well. In 1836 two of his paintings Beach in Scheveningen and A Lighthouse Overlooking Peaceful Sea were purchased by the city of Antwerp. During trips to the North Sea he was able to see most of both French and Belgian coastline. In 1837 he went to the Netherlands in order to continue his artistic education. In the autumn of 1838 he left for Constantinople. The artist’s true passion for travelling manifested itself in numerous journeys to Egypt, Asia Minor, Greece, Italy, Austria, France, England, and Scandinavia. Furthermore, Jacobs went twice to Russia and in 1847 together with Wappers he toured Germany where they drew sketches for landscapes inspired by German Romantic painting. The most characteristic of the early period of his oeuvre were the oriental sunsets and views of the Nile. Subsequent pictures were much closer to realistic painting. The artist often selected marine themes for painting, making sea or rivers the dominant motifs of his compositions. These works reflected the artistry of the master, precise, yet gentle brushstrokes, rich colouring, and perfect imitation of nature. Apart from landscapes, Jacobs often turned to animal painting. From 1843 onwards he gave lectures on landscape, marine, and animal painting at the Academy of Arts in Antwerp. In 1845 he was awarded with a gold medal at the Art Exhibition in Brussels. The painting ‘Floridian’ Shipwrecked at the Coast of Essex, 28.02.1848 proved to be the gem of the exhibition at the Academy in Brussels in 1849. Later, the King Ludwig I purchased this painting, adding it to the collection of the Pinakothek in Munich. Jacob’s painting was popular at the European courts. In 1849 the King Leopold I bought a canvas entitled Arabs Resting in the Desert. After the successful exhibition in Osborne the artist sold the View of the Nile to the collection of Queen Victoria. At the exhibition of 1857 in Brussels the Duke of Brabant, the future King Leopold II purchased a painting The Ruins of Karnak Temple. At the exhibition of the Museum of Contemporary Art in Brussels (in 1861) Jacobs exhibited The Glommen Waterfall from Norway. In the 1860s the artist was preoccupied with painting Scandinavian landscapes as well as Dutch and Belgian cityscapes, mostly of Antwerp. He was appointed an honorary member of the Royal Academy of Art in Antwerp. His paintings can be found in the museum collections of Antwerp, Courtai, and Weimar.