The Painters of the Panorama of Scheveningen

Bernard Blommers (1845-1914) Thuiskomst van de vissersvloot (Homecoming of the Fishing Fleet)

The exhibition The Painters of the Panorama of Scheveningen is the heart of the jubilee year 2021, it tells the story of the creation of the Panorama of Scheveningen. For the first time, much of the preparatory material will be on display: photographs, oil sketches and raster drawings. The making process of this monumental painting was prepared with military precision by Hendrik Willem Mesdag. The exhibition is therefore at the same time a tribute to the four artists with whom he worked on the Panorama: Sientje Mesdag-van Houten, Bernard Blommers, George Breitner and Théophile de Bock. 

Jubilee

In 1880 Hendrik Willem Mesdag was commissioned to make a panoramic painting. This monumental painting Panorama of Scheveningen was opened to the public on 1st August 1881 on Zeestraat in The Hague. 

Tribute

The creative process was prepared with military precision by Hendrik Willem Mesdag. Mesdag could not do this job alone.  What were their contributions, what was their relationship with Mesdag and how has working on the Panorama influenced their further careers? Their participation in the Panorama of Scheveningen had a different meaning for all the artists involved. A representative selection of their oeuvre is on display from all four. 

Museum director Minke Schat: “Few people know that Mesdag did not make the Panorama alone. This exhibition gives an insight into the creative process and also allows you to look at the Panorama with different eyes and more respect. Mesdag was a good project manager and it is special that all these artists made themselves subordinate to the whole.”

The exhibition The Painters of the Panorama of Scheveningen can be seen in Museum Panorama Mesdag in The Hague as soon as the museums open, until 26th September, 2021. Click here for more information.

A book/catalogue has been published by the Museum and Scriptum Art Books to coincide with the exhibition. More details here