Johannes Christiaan Karel Klinkenberg (The Hague 1852-1924)

Klinkenberg followed evening drawing classes at the The Hague Academy from a young age, after which he joined the studio of marine painter Louis Meyer (1809-1866) as an apprentice. After his early death he became a pupil at the studio of Christoffel Bisschop (1828-1904). From 1876 onwards Klinkenbergs oeuvre shows an evident preference for the historical architecture of Holland, working in The Hague, Amsterdam, Rotterdam among other cities. His specialisation in town views shows increasingly well-balanced compositions, and the implementation of a play with light. Sunlit effects, as is clearly visible in the present lot in which the Leuvehaven in Rotterdam has been depicted, are the result of his attractive and bright palette. What sets Klinkenberg apart from his contemporaries of the Hague School is the remarkable use of colour in his townscapes. Whereas works of other artists are often defined by tonality, Klinkenberg's oeuvre is rather French-oriented with bright, saturated colours. The present lot is a striking example of this, with the bright and vivid reflection of the sun on both the architecture and on the water.