Entrance of a Mansion Around The Hague

Winter officially began a week ago, and cold weather has arrived in many parts of the world. If the thought of winter makes you want to hide for the next few months, take comfort in how beautiful the snow can be.

Dutch artist Louis Apol (1850-1936) must have understood both the beauty and the reality of cold, snowy winters, since he made his career painting winter landscapes. In fact, Apol loved the ice and snow so much that he joined an expedition to the North Pole in 1880.

While the Dutch have a centuries-long tradition of representing the winter in paintings, Apol was one of only a few Dutch artists to focus primarily on the landscape and weather. He often minimized or completely excluded people, animals, and seasonal activity from his works.

Apol’s paintings are generally muted in tone – primarily using shades of white, gray, brown, and tan with just enough brighter color to create a sense of light and life. Although his paintings depict cold weather and un-populated scenes, they never feel bleak or lifeless. Instead, they remind us how elegant, peaceful, and even magical winter weather can be. Try to keep them in mind next time it snows.
- Alexandra Kiely