ANDREAS SCHELFHOUT (1787 – 1870) Summer Landscape in the Meuse Valley

signed 'A. Schelfhout f.' (lower right) oil on panel 69 x 92.5 cm PROVENANCE: Gemäldegalerie Abels, Cologne Private collection, Germany EXHIBITED: Dordrechts Museum 1955, no. 194 (label on the reverse); Stedelijk Museum, Leiden (label on the reverse, no year). This large-format painting of the Meuse River valley exemplifies Andreas Schelfhout's skill in capturing nature's tranquillity. Andreas Schelfhout, born in The Hague, spent most of his life there, becoming one of the foremost Dutch Romantic painters alongside B. C. Koekkoek. His artistic breakthrough followed a trip to Paris in 1830, after which his works, especially winter scenes depicting icy canals and frozen landscapes, gained widespread acclaim. The artist's summer landscapes are rare, and they also highlight his exceptional talent.