Anton Mauve

drawn. One could almost "pluck the wool from the fleeces," as the old amateurs are wont to say. Above the imposing downs there was only to be seen a small streak of light bluish-grey, silky sky; the rest of the picture was the silvery downs with their light-coloured vegetation, and "white woolly sea," as the Dutch poet Vandal described a flock of sheep.

Mauve was a great painter and poet of light in his sunny and glowing "melk-bochten." How beautiful is the glitter of the checkered light on the emerald grass ~ how splendid the sun's reflections upon the sleek hides of his black-and-white cow! The robe of an empress could not be more resplendent than the hides of Dutch cattle in the sunlight.

Our artist also delighted to represent in his works the richness and fertility of arable land, with the plough at work, drawn by black or white horses. He loved to paint some white powerful horse, contrasting its silvery reflections with the dark violet clods and the grey, hazy atmosphere. It seemed when he painted it as if the vapour were actually rising from the fertile land, and from the steaming hide and nostrils of the ploughing beast.

Other favourite themes of Mauve's were pretty country lanes enlivened, perhaps, by a wood cart, or a man on horseback, or, it might be, by a peasant woman on the way to market or collecting fuel, or a wood cutter at work.

Over these scenes he would spread that transparent and delicate haze, which is so characteristic of the fruitful days of March and April. For at that time of the year nature some-times seems covered by an almost imperceptible silken veil of the tenderest grey colour. A short time ago I was shown among the collection of an amateur a work by Mauve, representing a sheepfold on a snow-covered heath. The sheep are being quietly driven into the fold by the shepherd and his dog. But Mauve rarely chose snow effects for a subject. In this case the white tones of the snow were wonderfully true.

The painter always took a delight in drawing and painting birch-trees in his landscapes; the birch with its graceful and silvery stem was his favourite tree.

It was quite a public ceremony when, early in February, 1888, the mortal remains of the painter were received by his relations, friends and brother artists, at the Rhenish railway station of The Hague, where it had arrived from Arnhem. Deputations of the principal Art societies and clubs in our country, and innumerable artists and friends from all parts of Holland, had assembled; and when the coffin was hearsed and covered with flowers, wreaths, and palms, the imposing tones of Beethoven's funeral march were heard from the Royal Military Band, which accompanied the funeral train. His brother artists, Mesdag, Bart van Hove, Sadee, Artz, Gabriel, and Weissenbruch were pall-bearers, either in the capacity of deputies of their respective societies, or as the dead man's oldest friends. When the procession passed the Art Academy, all the pupils were ranged before the portico to do homage to the dead master.