Children of the sea with an urban twist, after the work of Jozef Israëls, 1872 by MadameRuiz

About "Children of the sea with an urban twist, after the work of Jozef Israëls, 1872"

by MadameRuiz

About the artwork

By now a familiar painting to many, this beautiful lovely work by Jozef Israels, part of the Rijkscollectie at the Rijksmuseum Amsterdam.

Although the scene looks lovely, it certainly carries a message. This late 19th century work is based on realism, which at the time was socialist in nature and depicted the hard life of workers. In this case, it concerns the children of a fishing family. Four children are bathing their feet in the sea, which refers to the life at sea they will have in their future. The eldest of the family carries the burden of the family on his shoulder by literally carrying the youngest member of the family here. The clothes they wear are plain and the toys cheap, with a clear reference to the fishing boat.

As in his own time, Jozef Israels' painting was incredibly popular. And still the work appeals to many because of the sweet little children, depicted entirely as they are.

In my variation, I combined the work with some other works from the Rijksmuseum, in combination with posters and painted structures, making it really a searching picture. To keep the peace in the work, I chose a monochrome colour contrast in a warm orange/brown/grey colour. Up close, you will recognise details in form, but also in texture, from paint to etching.

The work belongs in the category: New Masters and Urban Street Art