About this artwork

Maris paid his first visit to Amsterdam shortly after he returned to Holland from Paris. He seems to have been fascinated by views of the buildings along the river, and how they reflected in the water. During this period, Amsterdam was undergoing major transformations: old canals were filled in to create streets, bridges were lowered to accommodate the new trams, and the view of the cityscape from the river was being destroyed by the building of the new Central Railway Station (1882-1889), which cut the city off from the open water. Maris was notorious for his casual approach to topographical accuracy, however he seems to have deliberately ignored the encroachment of modern life on the city, and focused instead on a more peaceful and nostalgic view of the older buildings.

Updated before 2020

  • artist:
    Jacob Maris (1837 - 1899) Dutch
  • title:
    On the Amsel (On the Ij)
  • date created:
    About 1885
  • materials:
    Oil on canvas
  • measurements:
    94.00 x 125.40 cm; Framed: 168.30 x 135.60 x 16.50 cm
  • object type:
  • credit line:
    Bequest of Hugh A. Laird 1911
  • accession number:
    NG 1049
  • gallery:
  • subject:
  • artwork photographed by:
    Antonia Reeve
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Jacob Maris

Jacob Maris