This serene depiction of a Dutch North Sea coastal fishing town of Katwijk was painted in 1895 by German artist Wilhelm Hambüchen (b. 1869- d. 1939). He was a student at the Düsseldorf School of Applied Arts and later became a member of the Association of Düsseldorf Artists, Malkasten Artist’s Association, and the General German Art Cooperative. He won a gold medal at the Great Berlin Art Exhibition in 1908, and other awards in Germany, Austria, Argentina, and the United States. Hambüchen was particularly fond of Katwijk, and travelled there every summer for 50 years to paint, particularly scenes like this with Bomschuit style ships.

Signed “W. Hambüchen” and dated ‘95 in lower right corner

Medium: oil on linen

Size of support: 27” x 37 5/8” Outside size of frame: 34 3/4” x 45 1/4”

Year of creation: 1895

Condition notes: The paint layer is freshly clean, the old discolored varnish removed to reveal the original brilliant lavender and violet sky. Several small losses throughout have been consolidated and professionally inpainted. A fresh varnish has been applied, and the linen is appropriately taut and keyed out. 
Framed in a contemporary closed corner frame, new stretcher.

High auction result: $13,970 Christie’s Amsterdam