Johan Barthold Jongkind (1819-1891), A winter landscape with skaters, possibly on the Schie near Rotterdam, oil on canvas, 29,5x40,5 cm, signed and dated `Jongkind 1866` (lower right), In the autumn of 1866, Jongkind, together with his friend Madame Fesser, undertook a journey to the Netherlands. Via Brussels and back again to Antwerp the journey to his beloved Holland finally began. During the five-day stay in Holland, they visited Rotterdam, Overschie and The Hague. Whilst in Overschie and The Hague visiting family, they found time to catch up with Jan van Mastenbroek, who owned a shop in painting supplies in Rotterdam where Jongkind bought his paint materials. Jan was the father of J.H. van Mastenbroek. In The Hague they paid a visit to his old Master, Andreas Schelfhout. Jongkind sketched more than fifty sketchbooks full with everything that he saw and loved during his journey. Back in Paris, the watercolours and preliminary sketches were elaborated on. The art dealers were desperately waiting for these artworks; works from Jongkind sold extremely well at that time. The results on paper and canvas from this ‘Dutch’ journey can be seen at the Salon de Paris. Enthusiastic lovers of Jongkind eagerly purchased his Dutch blue skies, moonlights and ice scenes.Jongkind could have painted this ice scene in the vicinity of Overschie and Rotterdam. These bent-over skaters, the windmills on the horizon; a few trees surrounding the water are a recurring theme with his Dutch works.