Kunstmuseum, The Hague

July 2, 2020

Breitner vs Israels – Friends and rivals

George Hendrik Breitner (1857-1923) was educated in The Hague. One year drawing academy and after that he attended the Art Academy from 1876-1880. And he also followed one-year-courses in Rotterdam and Amsterdam.
Breitner was influenced by typical old Haagse (The Hague) painters like Jacob Maris. It took a while before he noticed that he had to change and create an own style.
In 1886 he became member of the artists association Arti et Amicitiae, and became one of the best painters of the Amsterdam city life, both by the light of day and by night. But also used photography to setup his paintings.
He was associated with the Dutch literary group known as the Tachtigers (translation 'Eighty-ers' started in 1880) and became one of the leading artists of the impressionists of Amsterdam.

Isaac Israels (1865-1934) was still very young when he was educated by his father, Jozef Israels, who was a famous painter of the 'Haagse School' (The Hague School).
When Isaac studied at the Art Academy of The Hague he met Breitner and the became friends forever.
The fact that he was talented became apparent when, at the age of 16, he sold a painting to Mesdag before it was finished.
In 1886 Israels studied in Amsterdam at the Academy of Visual Arts, together with Breitner. But he was also interested in the light of the sun and the sea near Scheveningen (The Hague) when he visited his father in summer. Here he painted many colourful seaside scenes.
In 1904 he moved to Paris where he painted specific subjects such as public parcs, cafes, bistros like he did in Amsterdam. And he continues his studies of the world of fashion.
During WW I he moved to London for a while and when he returned to Holland he mainly worked as a painter of portraits.

Breitner and Israels may be friends forever, but there was always competition.
In the first place Israels was already very talented, where Breitner was often criticized because of his lack of technique.
But when they moved to Amsterdam - Oosterpark, just around the corner of my house  :) - Breitner was by far a better painter of city life where Israels was still busy finding his own way. So he was inspired by Breitners work, but also intimidated.
Never the less, they became both important artists in the Tachtigers movement of artists and writers. But the rivalry became bigger, not only between these two painters. Artistic visions and disagreements caused endings of many friendships. Maybe also because of the resurrection of Israels as a painter.
Israels began to work in the open air, on the street and painted street scenes in his own way.
Both painters did not have contact for a decade but grew older and wiser. Friends again. Their artistic developments now differed. Breitner was more a painter of dark warehouses and Israels found his way in painting clear and sunny seasides.