Donkey Stand on the Beach at Scheveningen

Anton Mauve (1838 - 1888), c. 1876

oil on canvas, 37 cm x 48 cm
The Mesdag Collection, The Hague

Scheveningen was a tourist attraction already in the 19th century. Many Hague School artists also went to this seaside resort to record scenes of the sea and sometimes the visitors. Here Mauve painted the stand where the donkeys waited to take children for a ride for a few pennies .

Looking closely you can see that he first painted a couple of fishing boats at the left. He changed his mind and painted over them; their contours still vaguely shine through the top layer of paint.

Painting animals was Mauve’s speciality. Mesdag greatly admired his work. In fact, he owned fourteen paintings and drawings by him.