The Hottest Day (2025)Oil painting by Hilde Hoekstra

This painting originated from a walk near my studio, along a narrow path with a simple bridge spanning the ditch. On a sultry August day, I saw the ditch covered with a thick layer of duckweed, bathed in a warm, radiant light that broke through menacing storm clouds. The tension between the oppressive heat and the tranquil softness of the scene inspired an en plein air study.
Due to the unexpectedly rapid onset of rain, this initial phase was limited to a base layer, which primarily captured the rhythmic shadows of the fence on the water's surface. A year later, the work was resumed. To preserve the spontaneous power of the original sketch, I chose not to paint over it directly, but to have it transferred to a larger canvas. This offered the opportunity to further deepen and develop the motif. Thus emerged this layered painting with greater depth and warm colors, which gives the memory of that one scorching day a recognizable and timeless quality for many.

I painted the sides a deep green and attached an iron thread to the back so the painting is ready to hang.

Materials used:

Oilpaints, brushes and rubber scrapers

Details:

• Oil painting on Canvas
• One of a kind artwork
• Size: 40 x 30 x 2cm (unframed) / 40 x 30cm (actual image size)
• Ready to hang
• Signed on the back
• Style: Impressionistic
• Subject: Landscapes, sea and sky

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