Ferdinand Hart Nibbrig (1866-1915)

The oeuvre of artist Ferdinand Hart Nibbrig is one of contrast as well as continuity. Two great themes are eminent in his career: social portrayals of human life and landscapes. Hart Nibbrig also applies varient styles when he expresses these two themes. For his social paintings he uses a range of dark colours and flat brushwork. From circa 1892 onwards, probably under the influence of one of the many Vincent van Gogh exhibitions, his colours brighten. The advice of the painter Sigisbert Bosch Reitz as well as the move to Laren in 1894 clearly influenced Hart Nibbrig. In this period he also develops an interest for landscape painting. In contrast to many other artists, this did not imply a stylistic development. Both themes and related styles can be found in his works throughout the rest of his career.

Around 1895 Hart Nibbrig begins experimenting with the pointillist technique, for which he became famous. This technique was important to achieve his objective of 'the rendering of all forms of light', but he considered it of lesser importance and handled it with a feeling of freedom. The present lot shows how close he was in reaching his goal: the desire to capture light.