Fishing Family Houses in Scheveningen Possibly 1873 - 1878

Curator: We’re standing now in front of “Fishing Family Houses in Scheveningen”, possibly created between 1873 and 1878, by Johannes Bosboom. The Rijksmuseum holds this evocative piece, rendered delicately in watercolor. Editor: My first thought? This artwork smells like brine and damp wood! It feels utterly Northern European; gray and cozy all at once, with a sky pregnant with rain. Curator: Precisely! Bosboom had a real fascination with capturing the essence of everyday life. Scheveningen, at the time, was a bustling, yet modest, fishing village. This watercolor seems to present the difficult lives lived by these hard-working communities. You almost feel the cold, harsh weather from just looking at it. Editor: There's something quietly dignified in the worn details he's chosen to highlight— the weathered wood of the homes, the stoic figure standing near her home, maybe she's waiting for the ships. Curator: And there, right? The composition leads your eye away from the houses towards the church dominating the skyline in the distance. Churches at the time had to show might in all shapes and sizes, and religion, for many people at the time, represented the sole consolation available during periods of misfortune or trouble. Editor: That church definitely feels like a silent witness to the lives unfolding in the foreground. I feel the muted palette amplifies a certain stillness; life isn't always colorful and extravagant; and this captures this very moment and encapsulates its unique feelings. Curator: Watercolors, during this period, often captured intimate scenes, everyday life moments... a deliberate, accessible response against the grandiose academic painting. Bosboom brings out this feeling very vividly through the painting. Editor: I am left musing on time; time’s relentless march forward and its effect on everyone. Bosboom is excellent in capturing the ephemerality of existence with the choice of colors and shades he applies. Curator: Well said. Bosboom leaves us much to contemplate. The fishing family houses in Scheveningen continue to exude this emotional realism which lingers and evokes our inner sensitivity towards time.