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Biography
To learn more about H.W.Mesdag click on the several
links in this biography leading to other pages on this
website. |
| 1831 |
23 February:
Hendrik Willem Mesdag is born in Groningen to Klaas Mesdag,
banker (4 April 1795, Bolsward - 4 February 1881, Groningen)
and Johanna Wilhelmina van Giffen (20 February 1802, Groningen
- 4 March 1835, Groningen). Brothers and sisters Ellegonda
(July 2nd 1826 - July 12th 1826), Ellegonda (Nov. 16th
1827 - Aug. 22nd 1866), Taco (Sept. 21st 1829 - Sept.
4th 1902), Gilles (Dec. 9th 1832 - Jan. 25th 1892) |
| 1835 |
Mesdag's
mother dies.
During his schoolyears Mesdag receives drawing lessons
from C.B. Buijs (1808 - 1872) and J.H. Egenberger (1822
- 1897). |
| 1850 |
20
October: Mesdag is baptized in the Baptist Church at
Groningen. He starts work at his father's bank and remains
there for 16 years. |
| 1856 |
23 April:
Marriage to Sina (often called Sientje) van Houten, daughter
of Derk van Houten and Barbara Elisabeth Meihuizen. |
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| 1861 |
29 August:
Mesdag accepted as a pupil at the Academy Minerva in Groningen. |
1863
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25 September:
Birth of son Nicolaas (called Klaas). |
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| 1866 |
Mesdag
ends his banking career to become a professional painter.
The family spends the summer at Oosterbeek where he receives
advice from J.W. Bilders. Mesdag also studies in Vries
(near Groningen). After that he goes to Brussels where
he stays for three years. |
1868
|
In the
summer Mesdag goes to Norderney,
an island off the North Sea coast. It is here that he
discovers his main theme: the sea. Mesdag starts his collection
of paintings in Brussels. |
| 1869 |
The Mesdag
family moves to The Hague. He is admitted to the Pulchri
Studio Painters’ Society |
| 1870 |
Les
Brisants de la Mer du Nord receives a gold
medal at the Salon in Paris. Jury: Ziem, Chaplin, Millet.
The painting is bought by Chaplin for Frs 2500. This important
work disappears, only to be "rediscovered" in
1993 (in two pieces) by the MDS. |
| 1871 |
24 September:
Son Nicolaas dies. After the death of her son, Sientje
Mesdag-van Houten starts to paint. Jozef Israëls,
a friend of Mesdag, comes to The Hague. The friendship
dates from their childhood in Groningen. |
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| 1872 |
Mesdag
receives the gold medal from The Hague for The Arrival
of a Fishing Boat in Scheveningen. |
| 1878 |
Mesdag
starts to build a museum for his private collection in
the garden next to his house. |
| 1881 |
On 4
April Mesdag's father (85) dies in Groningen.
Mesdag paints the Panorama together with Sina and some
colleagues. On 1 August it is opened to the public |
| 1884 |
The
Panorama is exhibited in Munich. |
| 1886 |
3 May:
Mesdag buys the Panorama at an auction. |
| 1888 |
The painting
Soleil
Couchant is bought for the Luxembourg, Paris.
(Now: Musée d'Orsay, Paris). |
| 1889 |
Mesdag
is elected chairman of ‘Pulchri’ (which he remains
until 1907). The Panorama Mesdag is shown in Amsterdam. |
| 1894 |
2 June:
Receives the royal distinction of Officer in the Order
of Oranje-Nassau. Gale
in Scheveningen. Start of the construction
of a harbor. Portrait drawing of Mesdag by artist Jan
Veth, present in Museum Mesdag and published as a lithograph
in De Kroniek of 24 February 1895. |
| 1901 |
21 February:
Mesdag is promoted to Commander of the Order of the Dutch
Lion. Pulchri moves to the Lange Voorhout. |
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| 2 March:
the opening of the new Pulchri
building is celebrated jointly with Mesdag’s
70th birthday. A dinner party for 230 guests is given.
|
| 1903 |
14 May:
Mesdag donates his private collection together with his
Museum to the Dutch State and becomes its first director.
10 January: the Mesdags are honoured for their donation
with a large ‘Italian Party at Pulchri Studio. |
| 1906 |
|
The 50th
wedding anniversary of the Mesdags is celebrated
at Pulchri. Works by both Hendrik Willem and Sina are
shown by all art galleries in The Hague.
20 February: Mesdag receives the Gold Honorary Medal for
Art and Science in the House Order of Orange-Nassau. |
| 1909 |
Sientje
dies on 20 March, aged 74. |
| 1911 |
 |
| Willy
Martens becomes director of the Museum Mesdag. Fallières,
President of the French Republic, visits the Museum Mesdag
with Mesdag as his guide. Mesdag's 80th birthday. He receives
a gold medal from Pulchri Studio, designed by F.E. Jeltsema
(1879-1971). Mesdag becomes seriously ill. His friend
Jozef Israëls dies in The Hague. |
| 1915 |
10 July:
Mesdag dies in The Hague after having been ill for more
than three years |
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The
funeral of H.W. Mesdag |
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