Notes

Frans Oerder's draughtsmanship was finely honed in the training he received at the Rotterdam Academy of Art where he registered in 1880.   The gifted student completed the six-year course in five years and, at the age of eighteen, won the King William III Gold Medal and Bursary which enabled him to embark on a study tour of Italy.   On his return he continued his tuition in Brussels under the French painter, Ernest Blanc-Garin.   As JH Pierneef's teacher, Oerder would have communicated his principles of concentrated observation to his pupil who, in turn, developed these into his own unique style.

The Garden in Spring is a charming study in the play of light over diverse surfaces demonstrating Oerder's thorough understanding and appreciation of the French Impressionists.   By alternating washes of subtle colour with deft manipulations of impasto, he captures the delights of a domestic home and garden in an atmosphere that is both lively and relaxing.