C. Lapine

C. Lapine was an artist documented to be professionally active during a brief but significant span at the close of the nineteenth century, working between 1895 and 1897. Their known body of work consists primarily of drawings, ten examples of which are represented in institutional collections. The entirety of C. Lapine’s documented artistic output is currently preserved in the Rijksmuseum, establishing the historical provenance and credibility of their short career.

The drawings demonstrate a strong engagement with narrative and figurative composition, often focusing on atmospheric, staged scenarios that blend everyday life with dramatic or folkloric undertones. The subjects range from lighthearted social observation, such as Dansende vrouwen in landschap; een jongen zit langs de kant van de weg, to more formalized group settings, including Schoolklas meisjes met begeleidsters in landschap met zonnebloemen.

Other works reveal an interest in melancholic introspection or heightened emotional tension. Notable examples include the atmospheric piece Persoon in boot starend in het water van een vijver met waterlelies, the intense narrative of Vrouw geknield bij de verliezer van een duel, and the more fantastical composition Heks bij kookpot in bos bij nacht.

As historical works housed in a major European institution, these C. Lapine prints and drawings provide valuable documentation regarding the artistic tastes and subjects favored at the turn of the century. Because much of the art created during this period is now in the public domain, researchers and collectors frequently utilize high-quality prints and archival scans for study and exhibition.