Portrait of Catharina Hendrika Horn, the Artist's Wife c. 1867

Jacob Maris painted this portrait of his wife, Catharina Hendrika Horn, sometime in the late 19th century. It is an intimate portrayal, capturing her in profile with delicate brushstrokes and a soft, muted palette. Maris was part of the Hague School, a group of Dutch artists who reacted against the academic art of their time. They sought to depict everyday life and the Dutch landscape with realism and sincerity. Think about what this meant for the art world. Rejecting grand historical themes, they focused on the quiet beauty of the ordinary, creating a sense of national identity rooted in the land and its people. The Rijksmuseum, where this portrait resides, plays a vital role in shaping our understanding of Dutch art history. By studying the museum's collection, along with archival material and critical texts, we can better understand the social and cultural forces that shaped Maris's work and its place in Dutch society.