Evert Moll (Voorburg 1878 - 1955 The Hague) became particularly well-known for his more than 1000 depictions of the Rotterdam harbor, which he painted in the twenties and thirties. Bridges, quays, and the dynamics of the harbor around the Nieuwe Maas served as inspiration. In this way, he subtly captures the maritime development at the beginning of the 20th century. The hustle and bustle in a harbor, the activity of the enormous sea vessels, and the advancing technology fascinate him endlessly. He loved the wind, the smell of the water and the fuel oil from the ship's engines. His works made in the harbor of Scheveningen are also beautiful. In addition, he excelled in many other genres. He also painted cityscapes and landscapes with or from the water. Together with the colorful flower still lifes, they form the other half of his large oeuvre.
Evert Moll was self-taught and a follower of the Hague School, but received advice from Willem Maris and Willem Roelofs. He was friends with Albert Roelofs, hence his good acquaintance with Willem Roelofs as well. The house of Roelofs was a gathering place for artists who set the tone for the art climate at the beginning of the twentieth century. Although this greatly influenced the way impressionist Moll worked, it did not limit the development of his working style. Initially, he used a sober color palette and applied broad brushstrokes to his paintings. As he grew older, this changed into a more varied use of color and a more detailed brushstroke. But Moll would never become a radical innovator with a strong desire for renewal.
Moll mainly painted outdoors. He sat by the water's edge with his folding chair and newspaper in his lap. Many of his works are of the same size: 19 by 31 centimeters, exactly the size of his painting box, which he used as a "coaster." These panels often served as models for the larger works that originated in his studio. Between 1895 and 1930, he lived and worked in Voorburg, London, Paris, The Hague, and Rotterdam. He then settled in The Hague.
He often worked for art dealers in the United States and Canada. Works by Evert Moll are included in the Rijksmuseum collection, the Zuiderzee Museum, and Museum Boymans-van Beuningen. He was a member of the Pulchri Studio and worked as both a painter and an art dealer.
