oil on canvas

total dimensions 53 x 73 cm

Signed lower right

Condition: Cleaned. Revarnished. Original canvas. Faint stretcher mark. Frame in good condition with minor age-related wear. 

Johannes (Johan) Meijer (Zwolle, 1885 – Laren, 1970) was a prominent member of the Laren School, a group of artists renowned for their impressionistic and naturalistic paintings. His body of work reflects the beauty of the Dutch landscape in all its facets.

Meijer studied at the School of Applied Arts in Amsterdam and attended evening classes at the Rijksakademie van Beeldende Kunsten between 1907 and 1910. During this period, he was a pupil and later an assistant to Arnold Marc Gorter, an influential landscape painter. After completing his studies in the Netherlands, he continued his education in Paris, where the Neo-Impressionist style made a lasting impression on him. This influence can be seen throughout his work, characterized by lively brushstrokes and a subtle use of light and color.

Meijer loved working outdoors, drawing inspiration from all seasons and weather conditions. His winter landscapes in particular are cherished for their technical mastery and his sensitivity to the atmosphere of the scenery. During his time in Blaricum, he found inspiration in the Gooiersgracht, as well as in blossoming trees, birches, and pollard willows—recurring subjects in his paintings.

In addition to his artistic practice, Meijer was a dedicated teacher. He mentored students such as Wilbrandus Joannes Koppius and his wife Alberta Johanna Smetz, passing on his technical expertise and artistic insight to a new generation of painters.

Johan Meijer was an active member of several art societies, including Arti et Amicitiae, Sint Lucas in Amsterdam, the Association of Visual Artists Laren-Blaricum, and the Dutch Art Circle. His work was widely appreciated, and he exhibited regularly. A highlight of his career was his participation in the 1939 Onze Kunst van Heden (Our Art of Today) exhibition at the Rijksmuseum, where his paintings were shown alongside those of other leading artists of his time.