Sea at Katwijk

Jan Toorop

1887

oil on canvas

Rijksmuseum

A textured oil painting depicts a choppy sea under a cloudy sky. The waves are rendered with thick impasto, creating a sense of movement and depth. Jan Toorop made this seascape in Katwijk, where he was living in 1887. It is painted partly with a paintbrush and partly with a palette knife, as can be seen in the flat strokes. Through this technique, he succeeded in suggesting the effect of the waves breaking on the seashore in a realistic, almost tangible way. But if you look more closely, you can see a fantastic medley of colours.