JAN TOOROP
1858 Poerworedjo – 1928 The Hague
ANGELS PLAYING MUSIC IN A WOODED LANDSCAPE
pencil on paper, 260 x 340 mm
dated, inscribed and signed lower right: 1903 / Aan Boeken/ J.Th. Toorop
date: 1903
provenance:
writer Hein Boeken (1861-1933), The Netherlands;
Dr. Noman Levine and Morelle Lasky Levine, Los Angeles;
Modern Art Auction, Bonhams Los Angeles, 21 October 2021, lot 31.
A mysterious woodland landscape with a stream forms the setting for this Symbolist composition by Jan Toorop. Two male figures walk side by side across a bridge, while in the foreground two angels play music, introducing a quiet, contemplative atmosphere. The scene is not intended as a naturalistic depiction but as a symbolic landscape in which mood and meaning take precedence over physical reality. The work bears a dedication to the Dutch writer Hein Boeken. This personal inscription invites interpretation: the two male figures may be read as allusions to Toorop and Boeken themselves, envisioned as companions within this poetic landscape. The work thus evokes themes of artistic kinship and spiritual reflection.
Hein Boeken was a Dutch writer, essayist, and translator associated with the literary movement of the Tachtigers. While this group of writers were inspired by the Impressionist painters and Naturalist writers, Boeken had a more philosophical and spiritual approach to both art and literature. He regarded art as a moral and spiritual force and opposed purely naturalistic and materialist interpretations. Around 1900, Boeken played an important role as an intellectual interlocutor within Dutch Symbolist circles and maintained close personal and artistic ties with artists such as Toorop.
Jan Toorop was a Dutch artist known for his strategic adaptability and wide-ranging stylistic output. Born in Purworedjo on the island of Java, then part of the Dutch East Indies, he later relocated to the Netherlands to pursue formal artistic training. Over the course of his career, Toorop worked across multiple movements, including realism, impressionism, pointillism, symbolism, and Art Nouveau. His ability to pivot between styles and consistently innovate positioned him as a highly distinctive figure within the European art landscape.
Around 1900, Jan Toorop was the most successful and internationally recognized Dutch artist. His work was exhibited in major cultural and commercial art centers such as Paris, Brussels, and Vienna, and he maintained active professional relationships with leading international artists and institutions. In particular, his symbolist and Art Nouveau works gained strong traction due to their refined linearity, conceptual depth, and modern visual language. Through his international presence, Toorop effectively elevated the profile of Dutch art on the global stage.
In the later phase of his career, Toorop’s conversion to Catholicism influenced a shift toward more contemplative and religious subject matter. Despite ongoing health challenges, he remained professionally active until his death in 1928. Today, Jan Toorop is regarded as a key innovator in turn-of-the-century art and a critical connector between Dutch artistic traditions and international modern movements.