Meisje aan de piano

Painted in 1889, Meisje aan de piano is a work by Jacob Maris, now in the collection of Rijksmuseum, that reflects the artistic concerns of the late 19th century — an era of fundamental transformation in both the methods and purposes of European and American painting. Jacob Maris was the eldest and perhaps the most formally ambitious of the three Maris brothers who were central figures of the Hague School. While his brothers Willem and Matthijs each developed distinct specialties, Jacob focused on the traditional Dutch subjects of city canals, windmills, and coastal scenes, interpreting them with a dramatic tonal power that drew on both Rembrandt and the Barbizon masters.

Jacob Maris built his cityscapes and landscapes with assured, varied brushwork that captures the movement of Dutch skies and water with great economy. His palette is characteristically dark and tonal — deep grays, warm blacks.