VIEGERS, BEN (1886-1947)

"Hofje In Delft (Courtyard In Delft)" (c.1920)
oil on canvas
40 x 50cm
signed lower right
*private collection, Sydney
 
Bernardus Petrus (Ben) Viegers was a prominent Dutch Impressionist. His artistic development began in the workshop of his maternal grandfather, a renowned coach builder, where he learned skills such as drawing, paint mixing, decoration and painting. In 1903-1904 he was enrolled in his first classes at the Academy of Visual Arts in The Hague. His friendship with Charles Dankmeijer (1861-1923) had a great influence on his artistic growth and development. Viegers first exhibited his works in 1907 in Antwerp, followed by an exhibition of his art in Batavia (Dutch East Indies) in 1910. He was a member of the influential Hague Art Circle from 1921. His oeuvre was broad and included flower still lifes, bulb fields, landscapes, gardens, harbor views, interiors, marines, city views, beach views and winter landscapes. In 1938, Viegers moved with his wife from The Hague to Nunspeet, where they lived in a dilapidated building on the Brinkersweg that he renovated with his own hands. During the early years of the Second World War he lived in Castricum and later moved to Hilversum. He finally returned to Nunspeet in 1943. In October 2014, the Noord-Veluws Museum in Nunspeet opened its doors with an exhibition dedicated to Ben Viegers. The exhibition presented 130 of his works, giving visitors a comprehensive overview of his artistic contributions.
 
This stunning oil painting features a scene Viegers returned to multiple times in his beloved Delft. I was drawn to this work because it reminds me of the famous "The Little Street In Delft" (1657) by Dutch Master (and hometown hero), Johannes Vermeer.