Gerard Bilders
Encyclopedia
Albertus Gerardus Bilders (9 December 1838 - 8 March 1865) was a Dutch painter and collector who associated with some members of the Hague School
.
Bilders received his first drawing lessons from his father, the landscape painter Johannes Warnardus Bilders
. Bilders was born in Utrecht
, where he lived until 1856, though from 1841 to 1845 the Bilders family lived in Oosterbeek
, a village near Arnhem which later became a major centre for painters. In 1857 Bilders moved to The Hague. From the start of his artistic career, Bilders's focus was on landscape painting. In the Mauritshuis museum he copied Paulus Potter's landscapes with cattle and for a while he was the pupil of landscape and animal painter Charles Humbert in Switzerland.
Later he began painting in the area around Leiden, often painting meadows with cattle. Here he tried to reproduce the moods that the landscape evoked by using peculiar light effects as well as 'a colored, fragrant warm grey.' When he mixed all the colors of the palette with grey to get this effect, he was usually dissatisfied with the result. This attempt foreshadows the tonal painting style of the Hague School painters.
He returned to Oosterbeek for some time where he met Anton Mauve
and the Maris brothers. He died in Amsterdam when he was only 26.
Hague School
The Hague School is the name given to a group of artists who lived and worked in The Hague between 1860 and 1890. Their work was heavily influenced by the realist painters of the French Barbizon school. The painters of the Hague school generally made use of relatively sombre colours, which is why...
.
Bilders received his first drawing lessons from his father, the landscape painter Johannes Warnardus Bilders
Johannes Warnardus Bilders
Johannes Warnardus Bilders was a Dutch painter who was the father of Gerard Bilders and a forerunner of the Hague School.Johannes Bilders was born in Utrecht and took lessons from Jan Lodewijk Jonxis...
. Bilders was born in Utrecht
Utrecht (city)
Utrecht city and municipality is the capital and most populous city of the Dutch province of Utrecht. It is located in the eastern corner of the Randstad conurbation, and is the fourth largest city of the Netherlands with a population of 312,634 on 1 Jan 2011.Utrecht's ancient city centre features...
, where he lived until 1856, though from 1841 to 1845 the Bilders family lived in Oosterbeek
Oosterbeek
Oosterbeek is a village in the Dutch province of Gelderland. It is located in the municipality of Renkum, about 5 km west of Arnhem.The oldest part of the village of Oosterbeek is the Benedendorp , on the northern bank of the river Rhine...
, a village near Arnhem which later became a major centre for painters. In 1857 Bilders moved to The Hague. From the start of his artistic career, Bilders's focus was on landscape painting. In the Mauritshuis museum he copied Paulus Potter's landscapes with cattle and for a while he was the pupil of landscape and animal painter Charles Humbert in Switzerland.
Later he began painting in the area around Leiden, often painting meadows with cattle. Here he tried to reproduce the moods that the landscape evoked by using peculiar light effects as well as 'a colored, fragrant warm grey.' When he mixed all the colors of the palette with grey to get this effect, he was usually dissatisfied with the result. This attempt foreshadows the tonal painting style of the Hague School painters.
He returned to Oosterbeek for some time where he met Anton Mauve
Anton Mauve
Anthonij Rudolf Mauve was a Dutch realist painter who was a leading member of the Hague School. He signed his paintings 'A. Mauve' or with a monogrammed 'A.M.'. He was a very significant early influence on his cousin-in-law Vincent van Gogh.Most of Mauve's work depicts people and animals in...
and the Maris brothers. He died in Amsterdam when he was only 26.
Source
- Sillevis, John and Tabak, Anne, The Hague School Book, Waanders Uitgegevers, Zwolle, 2004 (pp 281-387)
- Bilders, Gerard at the Netherlands Institute for Art History.