Jacob Simon Hendrik 'Hein' Kever (Amsterdam, 1854 - 1922, Amsterdam) was a dreamy Dutch painter and a prominent member of the Laren School. Born into a wealthy family, he gained early access to influential art circles. Thanks to his mother's friendship with the famous painter Jozef Israëls, Kever found a place in the studios of leading lithographers, including Petrus Franciscus Greive. In 1878 he took a winter course at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts of Antwerp, after which he settled in Blaricum. However, he also kept a pied-à-terre at the Oosterpark in Amsterdam, where he stayed during the winter months.
Kever was known for his modest lifestyle, which differed greatly from the more extroverted artists from Laren. His deep-rooted love for the unspoilt Gooi formed the basis of his inspiration, and he opposed any modernization that would threaten this rural simplicity. Although, like many of his colleagues, he received several honorable awards, both nationally and internationally, Kever chose not to paint for the commercial American market. This decision ensured that his work always remained of high quality, but it sometimes lacks the detail of contemporaries such as Albert Neuhuys or the light, ethereal style of Anton Mauve.
His oeuvre included landscapes, portraits, still lifes and some cityscapes, but he was best known for his sober peasant interiors. These interiors, from the then poor Gooi region, often do not show human figures to avoid the costs of models. Yet his art was praised for its sensitivity and harmonious tone and light ratio, with relatively little contrast. In his later years, Kever's brushwork became looser and he showed more self-confidence, leading to a more subtle emotional expression in his work.
Although he did not consider himself a direct competitor, Kever managed to match and sometimes even surpass the quality of his 'rival' Albert Neuhuys in his best works. His paintings, imbued with simplicity and intimacy, remain to this day a silent testimony of the rustic and pure life that he valued so highly.
