The Garden, Jacobus van Looy - crop (1893)
In 1893, Jacobus van Looy created the painting "The Garden" after returning from a trip to France. The influence of French Impressionism is evident in his method, with loose brushwork and spontaneous composition. Although Dutch art criticism at the time showed little appreciation for this style, the reaction of artists was much more positive. Even Isaac Israëls praised the work as exceptional.
The canvas was not created outdoors, but in the residential neighborhood of De Pijp in Amsterdam. The woman among the flowers is Titia van Gelder, Van Looy's wife. The couple was then just living in Rustenburgerstraat, and the garden depicted was behind their home. Van Looy belonged to the Tachtigers, a progressive artistic movement in which several artistic disciplines came together. As an artist of dual giftedness - both painter and writer - he fitted perfectly into this innovative circle.
His earlier work mainly included landscapes, portraits and urban scenes. Later he concentrated on botanical subjects from his own environment. This painting marks the beginning of a small but significant series of five major floral pieces from his oeuvre