Wouterus Verschuur jr (1841-1936) - Landschap met paarden

Wouterus Verschuur Jr
Amsterdam 1841 – 1936 Lausanne (Switzerland)

Wouter Verschuur Jr was the youngest son of the famous equine painter Wouterus Verschuur. He was born in Amsterdam but moved to Haarlem in 1855 with his parents and his older brother Gerrit, who was one year older. It can be assumed that he received painting lessons from his father. When Wouter was nineteen years old, he was enrolled by him at ‘Kunst zij ons doel’. He may also have received drawing lessons there.
Wouter was good friends with fellow horse painter Willem Karel Nakken, whom he may have met at Arti et Amiciae in Amsterdam. Together, they undertook a study trip to Normandy in 1867. They enjoyed traveling so much that they later went there again. Among the places they visited were the port towns of Le Havre and Honfleur.

In 1869, Wouter moved permanently to Amsterdam. In August of that same year, Wouter took his father and mother, who were ill, on a trip to Menton. This French border town on the Côte d’Azure, which before 1861 belonged to Italy, was famous for its unique microclimate. It must have been particularly picturesque, as both father and son immortalized the town's intimate streets.

Travel must have suited Wouter Verschuur Jr., because in 1879 he moved permanently to Paris. Both of his parents had already passed away by then. Mother Geertruida Renninghoff died in 1872, and their father died in 1874. They left their sons a considerable fortune. Both Gerrit and Wouter traveled extensively. Gerrit did not limit his travels to Europe but was a true adventurer who explored all corners of the world. He wrote travel reports that were published in various books and magazines. Eventually, Wouter settled in Switzerland, where he would spend his final years at the advanced age of 94. Unfortunately, he was such a writer. As J. Knoef wrote in 1942: ‘In 1935, the elderly artist [Wouter Verschuur Jr] lived in Lausanne and, when asked, promised to share some details about his life story, but no longer had the strength to write.’ Gerrit died in 1906 in Nice. He remained unmarried. Wouter may also have remained unmarried.

It is not unusual that Verschuur Jr. is often compared to his father. After all, they share the same name. Although the young Wouter initially seemed more attracted to landscapes, horses increasingly appeared in his work later on. Stylistically, however, he has more in common with the Hague School than with the finely painted Romantic style of Wouterus Verschuur Sr. In the Kunstkronijk of 1875, it is read: 'And if one seeks proof that Verschuur did not impose his views on anyone, it can be found in his son, Mr. W. Verschuur Jr., who, although practicing his father's genre, completely broke with those traditions and is a very commendable follower of realism.'

Verschuur Jr. ultimately left no extensive body of work. However, a few commendable coastal scenes by his hand are known. A watercolor of a 'Southern art scene' with walking figures was even compared to the work of Eugène Boudin. His sobriety, balance in composition, and 'tight' color handling are praised.