Matthijs Maris at Work

Matthijs Maris at Work lets readers look over the shoulder of this solitary Dutch painter (1839–1917) as he created his mystical pictures, and examines Maris’s painting technique, his experimental zeal and his unorthodox working methods. The Rijksmuseum’s Department of Conservation and Restoration, using state-of-the-art techniques, undertook in-depth research into seventeen key works, with a view to shedding light on Maris’s intriguing studio practices. Thanks to Glasgow Museums (The Burrell Collection), partner in this project, it was possible to include varied paintings in the selection, that comprises the famous and much-loved Souvenir d’Amsterdam, Butterflies and The Shepherdess. Both Maris’s more realistic paintings and his later ‘conceptions’ will be discussed.

This beautifully illustrated book is a must for anyone interested in Matthijs Maris, in late nineteenth-century art practices and in painting techniques.