Na de storm

In a modestly furnished room, which may serve as both living room and kitchen, three generations of a family wait in tense anticipation for the fisherman to return. Jozef Israëls eloquently captures the drama of the fisherman’s life. In this balanced composition, Israëls evokes both the domestic interior and the sea, masterfully executing and exploiting the play of light. ‘After the Storm’ is one of Israëls’ early paintings in his most beloved genre – the everyday life of fishing communities – and one that he helped to popularize. Israëls was greatly admired in England and Scotland, where the theme enjoyed great popularity. In the Netherlands, his reputation was sealed by the large painting ‘Visit to the Churchyard/Visit to Mother’s Grave’, which is also in the collection of the Stedelijk.