Syvert Nicolaas Bastert was a Dutch landscape painter of the nineteenth century. He is counted among the ‘second generation’ of the Hague School. Being born in 1854 into a prominent family, a career in marketing seemed destined at first, because of the success of his father’s trading company in Amsterdam. In 1876 however, Bastert applied to the National Academy of Fine Arts in Amsterdam, where his life took a different turn. In Amsterdam he met Geo Poggenbeek, with whom he would maintain a life-long friendship. Basterts career initially started in Poggenbeeks studio, but in 1882 he established one himself.
In the following seven years Poggenbeek and Bastert often travel to a small cottage located in Breukelen, in order to study and paint the Dutch landscape. It was during this period Basterd did most of his paintings of the Vecht river he today is most known for.
Interestingly Bastert was often given the title of 'King of the Light', because of his paintings which were described as able to illuminate an entire room. From 1885 on his work was being sold regularly; one of the factors which enabled him to develop a style of his own.
