Jacob Abels (1803–1866): Harbor

Jacob Abels (1803–1866): Harbor

19th century

The painting, signed by Jacobus Theodorus “Jacob” Abels (1803–1866), is an oil on wood panel measuring 47 x 26 cm; when framed, it measures 67 x 45 cm. The signature is located in the lower right corner, with a collector’s stamp above it. It comes from a private Austrian collection and is in excellent condition.

The castle on the right resembles a painting by Jan Van Goyen, while the ships and figures on the left are reminiscent of the works of Johannes Christiaan Schotel.

Link 1: https://rkd.nl/imageslite/445260
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Jacob Abels (1803–1866) was a Dutch landscape painter who was initially known for his summer landscapes but later gained recognition for his “nocturnes,” which depicted moonlit river and village scenes. These atmospheric paintings drew inspiration from the works of Aert van der Neer and depict the mysterious aspects of the night with romantic admiration. His works are characterized by high water levels, translucent brown tones, and soft light, often featuring boats and fishermen, similar to the works of Andries Schelfhout.

Abels came from a family of merchants in Amsterdam and was a student of Jan van Ravenswaay and Pieter Gerardus van Os in Hilversum. He later married Van Os’s daughter, and they worked together on landscape paintings. Around 1840, he began to focus on night scenes, in which he masterfully captured the interplay of moonlight and shadows without using black. His use of layers created a luminous effect, and the moon cast light through the clouds.

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