Barend Cornelis Koekkoek (Middelburg 1803 – Cleves 1862) attributable
Wooded landscape with a stream
oil on canvas (72 x 91 cm - framed 93 x 113 cm)
Complete details of the artwork (click HERE)
This evocative wooded view with imposing oak trees crossed by a stream and a resting couple of travelers near a small bridge is a work executed with quality and expertise in its details, attributable to the Fleming Barend Cornelis Koekkoek (1803 – 1862).
He achieved international fame as one of the most important landscape painters of his generation, known for his romantic views, touched by a particular golden light, which earned him the nickname "Prince of Landscape Painting."
The painter carefully studied the Dutch landscape painters of the 17th century, revealing careful study and synthesis of his predecessors; in particular, his main source of inspiration was the work of Jacob van Ruisdael (Haarlem 1628 - Amsterdam 1682), to the point of being considered his follower.
He often revisited already famous works, considering them akin to his sensibility, as in our case the landscape titled "Oaks by a Stream," painted around 1670 by Jacob van Ruisdael, during the collection of King Maximilian I Joseph (now at the Alte Pinakothek in Munich).
LINK: https://www.sammlung.pinakothek.de/en/artwork/5RGQ17jGz3
We know that Koekkoek repeatedly revisited this particular subject: one of these versions, signed and slightly smaller, was sold by Clars Auction Gallery in Oakland (Auction of 09/15/2019, lot 762, estimate: $12,000 - 15,000, link: https://live.clars.com/lots/view/1-2786AG/painting-barend-cornelis-koekkoek?utm_source=mutualart&....
Koekkoek's works were recognized and appreciated throughout Europe, and the artist was awarded gold medals at the Paris Salons, boasting important European royal families among his patrons, including the Dutch heir to the throne, Prince William II, King Frederick William IV of Prussia, and the Russian Crown Prince Alexander, who amassed a vast collection of the artist's works.
Magnificent romantic landscapes constitute the core of his work, and even today, his paintings are highly appreciated for their lively composition and nostalgic atmosphere, in which the Dutch golden age seems to persist, and just as it was during his lifetime, Koekkoek is widely considered the most skilled landscape painter of Dutch Romanticism. His landscapes, especially the signed ones, reach truly considerable prices.
For example:
- Christie's New York, 01/17/2023, Wooded landscape with travelers by a stream
https://onlineonly.christies.com/s/european-art/barend-cornelis-koekkoek-dutch-1803-1862-36/174071
- Sotheby's New York, 05/22/2025, A wooded landscape with cattle grazing by a stream
https://www.sothebys.com/en/buy/auction/2025/master-paintings/wooded-landscape-at-dusk
- Sotheby's New York, 01/27/2022, A wooded landscape with grazing cattle by a stream
https://www.sothebys.com/en/buy/auction/2022/the-european-art-sale/a-wooded-landscape-with-grazing-c...
- Lempertz Cologne, 11/14/2015, Landscape with trees and cows by a stream
https://www.lempertz.com/en/catalogues/lot/1057-1/1643-barend-cornelis-koekkoek.html
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
The painting is sold complete with a pleasant frame and is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity and a descriptive iconographic sheet.
We handle and organize the transport of purchased works, both for Italy and abroad, through professional and insured carriers.
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