Anton Mauve Quotes

I really want to talk to you a lot, but what do I have to do? I still have things in progress here, two paintings and [I] must necessarily study sheep. (translation from original Dutch, Fons Heijnsbroek, 2018)

(version in original Dutch / origineel citaat van Anton Mauve, uit zijn brief:) onze Godin [hoe het schilderen verloopt] is soms zoo grillig, juist als je haar wil spreken, houd zij zich schuil en als je niet direct aan haar dacht, komt ze onophoudelijk hándjes geven en is zoo vriendelijk, enfin - wij zullen zien..

(version in original Dutch / origineel citaat van Anton Mauve, uit zijn brief:) ..zoo iets waar droevigs [een atmosfeer bij ] heb ik nimmer gezien. Een diepbedroefde moeder over het verlies van haar eenige kind is er niets bij. Een breede streep of strook vóór u, welke naar de horizon toe langer hoe zwarter wordt. een geheimzinnig getik en gesis van regendroppels welke halverwege de hei plant aan elk takje en uitspreitseltje blijft hangen..

(version in original Dutch / origineel citaat van Anton Mauve, in het Nederlands:) Ik schilder al mijn doeken naar schetsen.

As far as my work concerned, I am busy with a few small paintings, one is ordered and the other I have to 'adventure'. More and more I feel that I am short of so many studies, if I had the money, I didn't make any painting next year, I would only study [sketches]; but well, you have to make the best of a bad job, it will be hard enough to enable myself a living. (translation from original Dutch, Fons Heijnsbroek, 2018)

Nowadays I make ugly things, but I think they are nevertheless better than before, more made out-of-me myself, just simple cows with air and greenishness. (translation from original Dutch, Fons Heijnsbroek, 2018)

Just follow the lead of the Dutch seventeenth-century master-painters, we have to look at the country around us in the way the old masters did. (translation from original Dutch, Fons Heijnsbroek, 2018)

At first I did not feel much inclined to agree [ Willem Maris had asked Mauve to paint together in open air, around the village Oosterbeek, c. 1863], but I did not like to refuse the little fellow flatly, so we went off together. My companion did not suffer from loquacity; and, coming to a field with cows in it, I sat down to go on with a drawing which I had begun that morning. The little chap [Willem Maris] strolled around a bit and then settled down to work himself. We sat there for hours under the pollards, until I grew curious to see what the little fellow was at. He sat sketching with a bit of chalk; but, oh! I stood astounded. I seized him by the hand and stammered in my turn, 'My boy, what an artist you are! You stagger me! It's magnificent!'

You're too close to your model.

Come on, don't wait, come! Or don't you like to roll into the lush grass? I really would like to be completely a cow, to feel in that way the childish fun that such a beast gets when it is running about in the pasture and makes all that kind of silly jumps with its tail high in the air. (translation from original Dutch, Fons Heijnsbroek, 2018)

(version in original Dutch / origineel citaat van Anton Mauve's brief, in het Nederlands:) Waarde Vriend! Ik zit zoo als gij ziet nog altijd te doch zal nu over 2 dagen vertrekken de laatste tijd heb ik aan twee kleine schilderijtjes besteed voor den Heer de Visser, ik heb ze onder een gelukkige atmosfeer geschilderd.. ..ik zend ze jou omdat ze nat waren toen ik ze afzond en ik dat moeyelijk aan den Heer de Visser kon doen, wilt gij ze s.v.p. met een eivernisje bestrijken en vindt gij ze hier of daar eene slecht geziene greep, of ziet gij gemakkelijk kans er nog eene geestige zet in te doen, och kerel ik bid je doe het, want als ze hem niet bevielen en ik krijg geen duiten dan zit ik er leelijk mee in, ik heb ze hoog noodig..

Our plans were to go to Amsterdam and Laren tomorrow and then spend another day with you.. .I am very busy again with 7 paintings at the same time, I still have a lot to do before I can go to Laren, going to live there. Now, this week I can say it more confidently, - when we find a suitable location.. .We are on a leap of eating out therefore this scribbling.. (translation from original Dutch, Fons Heijnsbroek, 2018)

Dear friend! I am still staying in Oosterbeek as you can see but I will now leave in 2 days. The last days I spent on two small paintings ordered by Mr. de Visser. I painted them in a happy atmosphere.. .I send them to you because they were still wet when I sent them away and I could hardly do that to Mr. de Visser. Please, do you want to give them a layer of egg-varnish and when you discover here or there a badly seen dash, or you see a chance to make a witty thing in the paintings, oh chap, I pray you do so, because if he doesn't like them, I'll get no bread and have nasty problems, because I need the money so badly.. (translation from the original Dutch, Fons Heijnsbroek, 2018)

Take care for this, don't start with the sentiment first, [because] that's where a piece of art is ending with - but the good start is drawing good and right. (translation from original Dutch, Fons Heijnsbroek, 2018)

How are you doing, make a good, simple [and] true thing, for example.. .I believe I have found a good place for it. Namely, I spoke Mr. about you and he expressed his wish that you should show him something good.. (translation from original Dutch, Fons Heijnsbroek, 2018)