Cornelis Vreedenburgh was born on August 25, 1880 in the town of Woerden. Vreedenburgh's father ran a studio in the town where he received his initial training. After studying with his father, he went on to study with Gerardu Johannes Roermeester, Willem Bastiaan Tholen and Paul Arntzenius. During the early years of his career, he regularly visited the interior lakes and broad rivers of the Netherlands with Tholen. Vreedenburgh found the outstretched skies and open lakes an ideal place for painting reflections on the water and for capturing stark contrasts. He produced a number of small, charming water scenes during these years and was able to develop his own personal style.

After Vreedenburgh's marriage to the pain...