The story told in a series of realistic paintings.

This phenomenon inspired painter Hubert Christiaan Knispel to create a series of paintings that tell the complete story in a seventeenth century style because the story was at it’s peak at that time. The works are painted very precisely, all have a clear emotional charge and are full of nice details. The technique in which the paintings are made is a so-called glazing technique in which layer upon layer is applied to an underpainting (see also: www.huberck-art.nl).

Painting series the Mermaid of Holland.

1. The Dike breach.

Oil paint on panel. Size 120 x 100 cm.                                                                All rights reserved

After heavy storms, the dikes broke and a mermaid washed into Lake Purmer.

 

2. The Catch.

Oil paint on panel. Size 110 x 70 cm. All rights reserved

Two milkmaids pulled her aboard their boat and took her to Edam.

 

3.The Cleaning.

Oil paint on panel. Size 70 x 100 cm.                                                     All rights reserved.

There she was cleansed and fed. She babbled a foreign language, people could not understand her.

 

4. The Extradition.

Oil paint on panel. Size 120 x 80 cm.                                                                                                                  All rights reserved.

She was extradited to the city of Haarlem.

 

5. The Entry.

Oil paint on panel. Size 110 x 150cm.                                                           All rights reserved.

She was brought into the city with a great display of force.

(Haarlem is Frans Hals city. The painting contains 21 figures by Frans Hals.)

 

6. The Pride of Haarlem(The Request).

Oil paint on panel. Size 160 x 110 cm.                                                                                                                       All rights reserved.

They were proud that she was now one of them.

 

7. The Spinning Lesson.

Oil paint on panel. Size 150 x100 cm.                                                                                                                        All rights reserved.

In Haarlem she learned spinning from a baker’s wife.

 

9. Nostalgia for the sea.

Oil paint on panel. Size 100 x 120 cm.                                                                     All rights reserved.

She kept wanting to get back into the water. They had to stop her with all their might, because she longed to go back to the sea.

 

9. A Sign of Life (the flip side).

Oil paint on panel. Size 100 x 130cm. All rights reserved

She was tamed and honored on the cross and therefore given a Christian burial.

 (The painting incorporates 12 different symbols of Hieronymus Bosch.)