RIVIER view 1843
Compare
Compare the two images below. The first is the painting 'View of a river' from Jongkind, the other one an image of the harbour of Vlaardingen from around 1800.
The similarities are striking despite the fact that the viewpoint is slightly different.
Foto van schilderij Jongkind, Riviergezicht 1843
De Haven van Vlaardingen, collection Museum Vlaardingen
What do we see in this painting?
Two windmills: on the far left the snuff windmill called De Vrijheid (translated as 'Freedom', and in the middle the windmill called 'De Bonte Os'(translated as The Colourfull Cow'. Both types of windmill tell us something about the history of Vlaardingen.
Run mill
A run mill is a mill where dried oak bark is being pulverised. What remains is called 'run'. Run was used in tanneries for the treatment of leather, nets, ropes and millcloths. The tanning served to maintain and increase the durability of these fishing materials. The nets, ropes or mill sails were soaked in the tan tub. A taankuip is a hot pot of tar preparation: tar with carboleum. This was done to protect the materials from the influence of the salty sea water.
Snuff mill
A snuff mill is a mill used to make snuff from tobacco leaves. This powdered tobacco was sniffed through the nose and was considered healthier than smoking. Sometimes it was mixed with eucalyptus. It gave a short, tingling feeling.
In the Golden Age, snuff was popular. In the 18th century, a valuable snuff box was even a status symbol.
ART LOTERY
Letter written by Jongkind directed to the city council,
collection city archive Vlaardingen
In 1842 Jongkind held a lottery in Maassluis to win one of his paintings.
When King Willem Frederik, Prince of Orange-Nassau, confirmed to him on 16 March 1843 that he could receive a scholarship of 200 guilders, he wrote a second request for permission to sell 70 lots of 1 guilder. Possibly to pay for his move to France.
This time the letter is addressed to the mayors and aldermen of Vlaardingen.
In this second lottery, there was a chance of winning two paintings, one showing 'a view of Maassluis and another showing a view of Vlaardingen'. '
The drawing took place a few days later, on 29 April in the Hollandsche Tuin in Vlaardingen.
Jongkind wrote:
Mayors and Aldermen of the City of Vlaardingen,
Johan Barthold Jongkind, residing in Maassluis, takes with due respect the liberty to request herewith. That their Honours may be pleased to allow him to conduct a lottery consisting of 70 lots for one guilder each, and namely of 2 Paintings, one depicting a view of Maassluis and the other of Vlaardingen, made by him...'.
J.B. Jongkind
It could well be that the painting shown on the tile is the one Jongkind wrote about in his letter to the mayor and councillors of Vlaardingen. All the more so because no other painting is known to have a 'view of Vlaardingen'.
Lotteries with art as prizes were not uncommon in those days. When Jongkind was at the academy, one of his paintings was regularly entered for lottery.
MARITIME ART
Maritime art was a popular genre in Jongkind's time. It was not uncommon for an artist to go on board of a ship.
Considering the viewpoint of this painting by Jongkind, he must have made his initial drwaing or aquarel on board of a ship.
The father of Arij Pleijsier, Jongkind's old neighbour on the Hoogstraat in Vlaardingen and Jongkind's friend, had a ship. We know from letters, for instance, that Arij went on his father's ship in 1842 and was invited by the king to make paintings from ships on the water. That is how Arij Pleijsiers career as a maritime painter began.
Jongkind was at times also referred to as a maritime painter. He is not a painter true to this genre solitary; he painted many other subjects, such as landscapes and city views.
He did, however, regularly visited the shores of France later in his life, to paint the harbours and the boats. As we will see along this route, water and waterways seemingly played a large role in his life.
DE VLAARDINGSE HAVEN
In de 18e eeuw was de Vlaardingse haven een van de belangrijkste en grootste havens in Nederland; bijna de helft van de Nederlandse vissersvloot lag in Vlaardingen!
De bevolking van Vlaardingen leefde van de haringvisserij.
Dit veranderde toen de monding van de rivier in xxxx werd uitgegraven tot 'de Nieuwe Waterweg' en de haven van Scheveningen belangrijker werd. Toen ontwikkelde Vlaardingen zich tot een industriestad.
Vandaag de dag is de Nieuwe Waterweg nog steeds één van de drukst bevaren scheepsroutes ter wereld.
More about Jongkind?
If you started at Museum Vlaardingen (blue route) , this was it for the Jongkind city walk Vlaardingen.
You may enjoy a cup of tea or coffee in the Delta Hotel (point F) where you will have a beautiful view over the Waterweg and can witness a great variety of vessels passing by.
Cycle or walk
If you wish, you can continue the route by bicycle (x minutes) or on foot (x minutes) to Maassluis via the Maassluis dike.
Or book a sailing/walking arrangement and retrace Jongkinds life story via the water that leads you to Maassluis.
Booking a package
Cruise the canal from Vlaardingen passing through the green wetlands of Midden-Delfland to Maassluis, where Jongkind lived when he started his painting career.
To embark, please go to...
Get there by walking to place c and follow the orange route towards Broekpolder.