Updated November 2026 · ranked by our popularity score (searches, visits and orders for each work) · 2 works by Alexander van Maasdijk in our catalogue
In short
Interior (1905) is the Alexander van Maasdijk painting that draws the most eyes; the original belongs to the Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen, Rotterdam. Among the 2 works of Alexander van Maasdijk in our catalog, these 2 are the most famous, each a unique original presented with its year, its museum and the reason it endures.
The composition is vertically oriented, framed on the left by heavy, dark drapery that recedes into the shadows. Through this opening, a single man in period attire is positioned in a threshold, his white stockings providing a sharp point of contrast against the muted tones of the room. He stands between the foreground and a darker, receding space, suggesting a moment of arrival or departure. The room is furnished with…
In this intimate oil painting, titled The Painter Jan Linse in Van Maasdijk's Studio, Oudedijk Rotterdam, we find ourselves observing a quiet moment of creative labor. The artist, Alexander van Maasdijk, captures Jan Linse seated within the confines of a studio located in Oudedijk, Rotterdam. It is a scene of focused solitude, painted about 1882.
The four subjects that come back most often in these originals, each with its finest example.
The museum that holds the most of the paintings on this page.
| Museum | City | Works by Alexander van Maasdijk | Paintings from this list |
|---|---|---|---|
 Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen |
Rotterdam | 2 | Interior, The Painter Jan Linse in Van Maasdijk's Studio, Oudedijk Rotterdam |
A long career of 24 years, 1882 to 1905: Alexander van Maasdijk's most famous originals, shown year by year.
Pick a year to see its originals.
In this intimate oil painting, titled The Painter Jan Linse in Van Maasdijk's Studio, Oudedijk Rotterdam, we find ourselves observing a quiet moment of creative labor. The artist, Alexander van Maasdijk, captures Jan Linse seated within the confines of a studio located in Oudedijk, Rotterdam. It is a scene of focused solitude, painted about 1882.
The composition is vertically oriented, framed on the left by heavy, dark drapery that recedes into the shadows. Through this opening, a single man in period attire is positioned in a threshold, his white stockings providing a sharp point of contrast against the muted tones of the room. He stands between the foreground and a darker, receding space, suggesting a moment of arrival or departure. The room is furnished with…
Interior (1905).
49 years old: Interior dates from 1905, and Alexander van Maasdijk was born in 1856.
Our catalog holds 2 works by Alexander van Maasdijk, dated from 1882 to 1905.
Mostly in Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen (Rotterdam). The museum table above lists them all.
On this page, the earliest is The Painter Jan Linse in Van Maasdijk's Studio, Oudedijk Rotterdam (1882) and the latest Interior (1905).
Interior and The Painter Jan Linse in Van Maasdijk's Studio, Oudedijk Rotterdam: the Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen, Rotterdam holds 2 of the works on this page.
Alexander van Maasdijk enters the scene in Brussels on 1 October 1856. He is born into a household defined by the ministry; his father, Henricus (Henri) van Maasdijk, serves as a preacher. This domestic stability shifts in 1873 when Henricus dies, leaving the young Alexander to navigate his developing path in a changing landscape.
The focus shifts to the studios of Brussels. Alexander van Maasdijk pursues formal training at the Académie royale des Beaux-Arts de Bruxelles, also known as the Koninklijke Academie voor Schone Kunsten van Brussel. Here, the technical foundations of his craft take shape through rigorous academic study. His immersion into the local art scene leads him to join L’Essor, a Brussels-based artist group, marking his early integration into the professional circles of the city.
The professional trajectory of Alexander van Maasdijk begins in earnest in 1871. His early career finds him in Düsseldorf, where he remains until 1880. This period marks his formative years as a painter, establishing the technical foundation that would define his subsequent movements across Europe.
A shift occurs in 1881 when he moves to Katwijk aan Zee. The coastal atmosphere provides a new backdrop for his work before he settles in Rotterdam in 1883. This city becomes his primary base for the remainder of his active years, spanning until 1931. His presence in Rotterdam is deeply rooted, extending from his early years there through his long tenure as an educator and into his final days. He eventually resides in Noordblaak, Rotterdam, where he remains until his death.
The studio becomes a site of technical rigor and narrative construction. As a painter and draftsperson, van Maasdijk moves between the grand scale of history painting and the intimate observations of genre scenes. His brush captures the weight of historical moments, the quietude of landscapes, and the specificities of everyday life. He does not merely observe; he reconstructs scenes, whether they are rooted in the past or the immediate surroundings of the Dutch landscape.
This technical command extends into the classroom. From 1892 until 1920, he holds a position at the Academie van Beeldende Kunsten Rotterdam. The classroom is a place of disciplined instruction, where he shapes the hands and eyes of the next generation. His influence is measured in numbers and legacies, having trained over 90 students throughout his career. He imparts the fundamentals of draftsmanship and composition, ensuring the continuity of formal training within the academy.
The legacy of Alexander van Maasdijk lives on through the diverse group of artists who sat in his classrooms. As a teacher at the Academie van Beeldende Kunsten in Rotterdam, he shaped the technical foundations of numerous painters. His influence reaches through the works of Henk Chabot and Willem van Hasselt. Other students who studied under his guidance include Pieter den Besten, Jan Kamman, and Constant Joseph Alban. The lineage of his instruction continues with Martinus Leonardus Middelhoek, George Pletser, Gerrit Willem van Yperen, and Huibert Antonie Ravenswaaij.
The final chapter of his life concludes in Rotterdam. He passed away on 4 March 1931. His remains rest at the Algemene Begraafplaats Crooswijk in Rotterdam, marked by a monument featuring sculpted heads created by nine of his former students, including Chabot, Leendert Bolle, Lucas Wensing, Adriaan van der Plas, Herman Bieling, and Rachel van Dantzig.
