Waal Bridge, Nijmegen, Holland

click to view full painting

Waal Brug, vanaf Ooipolder Nijmegen 
oil on canvas - 30 x 120 cm
painted on location in 3 sessions -  29/6, 14/7,15/7 - 2013

€595

This monumental bridge also known as the Jan van Hoof Brug, in honour of the courageous young student, Jan van Hoof (1922-1944), a member of the Dutch Resistance (Geheime Dienst Nederland). He secretly gathered information related to the bombing of this bridge and the railway bridge (Spoorbrug) in WWII from the retreating enemy forces, shared it with the Allied Forces, who in turn managed to save the destruction  of these 2 bridges. Today they stand stalwartly proud, which serve an enormously important function,  linking this river delta region together!  In hommage of this natural reserve area, the bridge,  the Waal river and the skyline of Nijmegen, I opted for a panoramic format canvas. Here below a close up for your viewing pleasure.

  

Vintage Drawbridge, Weesp, Holland

Ophaalbrug, Ossenmarkt, Weesp
oil on canvas
50 x 70 cm
painted on location _ Sat 11 Sept 2010 SOLD


In 1888, 122 years ago, the most well known Dutch person ever to walk this earth, Vincent Van Gogh, made at least 3 oil paintings of , The Langlois Bridge, in Arles, France.. Similar in design to the bridge I painted, but certainly less flashy. Let's face it ladies and gentlemen, when it comes to building bridges, you simply cannot beat the Dutch! I'm positive the Dutch Master was filled with nostalgia upon seeing that bridge, in the sunny light of the Midi. Me I found this draw bridge, here in this otherwise boring village, nestled just under Amsterdam, the most interesting subject to paint, on a one day plein-air painters festival. What struck me the most was the sunlight bouncing off the structure, and the situation of the boats anchored near the bridge.