ticketsMember | Make a donation

Scheveningen Fisherman

1932
Not on view
Willem van den Berg was an influential figure in Dutch academic circles of the 1930s and 40s. He is best known today for his portraits of fisherfolk from the port towns of Scheveningen and Volendam. While this work is a portrait of a specific individual, the monumentality of the figure and pathos of his expression suggest that he also serves as a stand-in for a significant character in the Dutch cultural imaginary—the stoic, hardworking laborer extracting their livelihood directly from the sea or land. Created in the lead up to World War II, van den Berg’s portraits represent the longing for a return to a pre-industrial order, unthreatened by advances in modern technology and the accompanying social, cultural, and political changes they set in motion.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: Scheveningen Fisherman
  • Artist: Willem van den Berg (Dutch, The Hague 1886–1970 Amsterdam)
  • Date: 1932
  • Medium: Black and brown fabricated chalk on paper
  • Dimensions: 48 1/2 × 38 3/4 in. (123.2 × 98.4 cm)
  • Classification: Drawings
  • Credit Line: Purchase, Anonymous Gift, in honor of Max Hollein, 2024
  • Object Number: 2024.486
  • Rights and Reproduction: Courtesy of Mireille Mosler
  • Curatorial Department: Modern and Contemporary Art

More Artwork

More Artwork
A slider containing 5 items.
Press the down key to skip to the last item.
May Picture, Paul Klee German, born Switzerland, Oil on cardboard
May Picture
Paul Klee
1925
The Accommodations of Desire, Salvador Dalí Spanish, Oil and cut-and-pasted printed paper on wood
The Accommodations of Desire
Salvador Dalí
1929
The Smoker, Juan Gris Spanish, Charcoal, crayon, and wash on paper
The Smoker
Juan Gris
1913
Self-Portrait, Egon Schiele Austrian, Watercolor, graphite, and opaque watercolor on paper
Self-Portrait
Egon Schiele
1911
The Man Under the Pear Tree, Paul Klee German, born Switzerland, Watercolor and transferred printing ink on paper, bordered with metallic foil, mounted on cardboard
The Man Under the Pear Tree
Paul Klee
1921

Research Resources

The Met provides unparalleled resources for research and welcomes an international community of students and scholars. The Met's Open Access API is where creators and researchers can connect to the The Met collection. Open Access data and public domain images are available for unrestricted commercial and noncommercial use without permission or fee.

To request images under copyright and other restrictions, please use this Image Request form.

Feedback

We continue to research and examine historical and cultural context for objects in The Met collection. If you have comments or questions about this object record, please complete and submit this form. The Museum looks forward to receiving your comments.