Artist

Frederik Hendrik Kaemmerer

Frederik Hendrik Kaemmerer prints bring elegant ladies in Directoire dress, courtly flirtations and breezy afternoons on the beach at Scheveningen into your home. Kaemmerer was a Dutch painter who worked in Paris, moving from Hague School landscapes to charming historical genre scenes and, later, Impressionist...Read more

Frederik Hendrik Kaemmerer prints bring elegant ladies in Directoire dress, courtly flirtations and breezy afternoons on the beach at Scheveningen into your home. Kaemmerer was a Dutch painter who worked in Paris, moving from Hague School landscapes to charming historical genre scenes and, later, Impressionist beach views. Our collection of fine art prints covers his costume pieces, weddings and promenades, winter scenes and seaside pictures.

About Frederik Hendrik Kaemmerer

Frederik Hendrik Kaemmerer was born in The Hague on 23 October 1839 and studied at the Royal Academy of Art there under Salomon Verveer, who taught in the Romantic tradition. His early works were landscapes in the style of the Hague School, and he held his first solo exhibition in Rotterdam in 1861.

In 1865 he moved to Paris and studied at the École des Beaux-Arts with Jean-Léon Gérôme, turning to a more academic style. For a time he specialised in genre scenes set in the 18th century, with elegant ladies and courteous gentlemen. He first exhibited at the Salon in 1870, won a medal there in 1874 and became a client of the dealers Goupil & Cie.

He often returned to The Hague and stayed by the sea at Scheveningen, where the effects of sunlight on water and sand led him toward Impressionism. His beach scenes were successful in France and the Netherlands, winning a silver medal at the 1889 Exposition Universelle. From 1891 he also illustrated books for Elsevier, including stories by Louis Couperus. He died in his Paris studio on 4 April 1902.

Style and Subjects

Kaemmerer's historical scenes are polished, detailed and good-humoured, showing weddings, christenings, promenades and flirtations in the costumes of the late 18th century, with careful attention to silks, hats and manners.

His beach scenes are fresher and looser: fashionable women strolling on the sand at Scheveningen, skirts and parasols caught by the wind, under a bright, changeable sky.

Famous Works

Elegant Ladies on the Beach at Scheveningen (1871). Fashionable women on the Dutch shore.
Two Ladies Walking through the Dunes (1872), Kunstmuseum Den Haag. A breezy seaside scene.
Young Woman (1883), Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. An elegant single figure.
At the Seashore, Dallas Museum of Art. A beach scene in his Impressionist manner.
Masquerade (1900), National Museum of Fine Arts, Buenos Aires. Costumed revellers at a masked ball.
The Wedding, Church of St Roch, Paris. A wedding party in 18th-century dress.
The Sleigh Ride. A winter outing in period costume.

Decorating with Kaemmerer Prints

Kaemmerer's beach scenes, like Beach at Scheveningen, Holland, bring sea air to a living room, bedroom or coastal home, with soft blues and sandy tones.

His costume scenes, such as The Sleigh Ride or By the Skating Pond, are charming in a hallway or dining room, and make good seasonal pictures for winter.

FAQ

Who was Frederik Hendrik Kaemmerer?

Frederik Hendrik Kaemmerer (1839–1902) was a Dutch painter who worked in Paris, known for 18th-century costume scenes and Impressionist beach views at Scheveningen.

Who taught Kaemmerer?

He studied with Salomon Verveer in The Hague and with Jean-Léon Gérôme at the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris.

What is Scheveningen?

Scheveningen is a seaside resort near The Hague, where Kaemmerer often stayed and painted fashionable visitors on the beach.

Where can I see his paintings?

His work is in museums in France and the Netherlands, including the Kunstmuseum Den Haag, and in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Dallas Museum of Art and the Clark Art Institute.