Dona, Antonie Franciscus

1802–1877

Nationality: Kingdom of the Netherlands

Born: 1802, The Hague

Died: 1877, The Hague

Gender: male

Occupations

painter

university teacher

graphic artist

etcher

draftsperson

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Biography

Antonie Franciscus Dona (1802-1877) was a Dutch landscape painter whose atmospheric depictions of the Netherlands countryside placed him among the Hague Romantic painters of the mid-nineteenth century. Born in 1802, Dona studied drawing at The Hague academy before becoming a teacher at the same institution, contributing to artistic education while maintaining his own painting practice. His work exemplified the careful craftsmanship and atmospheric effects characteristic of Dutch landscape painting between Romanticism and Realism, depicting pastoral scenes often featuring cattle alongside topographical views. Like contemporaries Willem Bodeman, B.C. Koekkoek, and Adrianus van der Koogh, Dona created meticulously rendered landscapes that balanced observational accuracy with romantic mood. He achieved particular recognition for his depictions of cattle in landscape settings, a specialized skill he passed to his student Willem Karel Nakken, a noted cattle painter. Dona's paintings captured the distinctive character of Dutch countryside—summer landscapes with farmsteads, pastoral scenes, and carefully observed animal subjects—preserving the visual culture of mid-nineteenth-century Netherlands. He died in 1877, having contributed to Dutch landscape tradition during a period of significant artistic transition.

Education and Teaching Career

(1802-1840)

Antonie Franciscus Dona was born in 1802 in the Netherlands. During his formative years, he studied drawing at the academy in The Hague, one of the important centers for Dutch artistic education. This training provided foundation in academic drawing principles, composition, and the technical skills necessary for landscape painting.

Following his education, Dona joined the faculty of The Hague academy as a drawing teacher, a position that provided stable income while allowing him to maintain his own artistic practice. This dual role as teacher and practicing artist was common among nineteenth-century Dutch painters, creating a virtuous cycle where active artists instructed the next generation.

His position at The Hague connected him to the artistic community known as the Hague Romantic painters, though he predated the more famous Hague School painters who would emerge in the 1860s-70s. The Hague Romantics emphasized atmospheric effects, careful observation, and the distinctive light and landscape of the Netherlands.

Artistic Practice and Legacy

(1840-1877)

Dona's painting practice focused on landscape subjects, particularly atmospheric, carefully crafted depictions of the Dutch countryside. His works shared characteristics with contemporaries such as Willem Bodeman, Barend Cornelis Koekkoek, and Adrianus van der Koogh—all painters known for meticulously rendered landscapes combining romantic mood with observational accuracy.

He achieved particular distinction for depicting cattle within landscape settings, demonstrating both anatomical understanding and sensitivity to light effects on animal forms. This specialized skill proved valuable enough that Dona passed it to students, most notably Willem Karel Nakken, who became recognized as a cattle painter himself.

Dona's subject matter encompassed various landscape types: summer landscapes with farmsteads showing rural Dutch architecture and agricultural settings, pastoral scenes featuring grazing animals in atmospheric countryside, and carefully observed studies that documented the Netherlands' distinctive topography and rural character.

His paintings exemplified the transitional period in Dutch landscape painting, maintaining romantic atmospheric qualities while incorporating the increasing emphasis on direct observation that would culminate in the Hague School's realist approach. Though biographical details remain limited, his works in auction records and private collections testify to consistent production and contemporary appreciation.

Antonie Franciscus Dona died in 1877, at age seventy-five, having contributed to Dutch landscape painting across several decades of artistic evolution.