Johan Barthold Jongkind, Dutch painter and printmaker, 1819-1891

Jongkind’s most frequent subject was the marine landscape, which he painted both in the Netherlands and in France. Many of his works depict the Seine, particularly the area near Notre-Dame Cathedral. He painted watercolors out-of-doors, and used them as sketches for oil paintings made in his studio. His paintings are characterized by vigorous brushwork and strong contrasts. Some experts regard him as a forerunner of Impressionism; his work obtained great recognition by impressionist painters like Claude Monet or Paul Signac.