Lot 1640 Dα

Jordan received well-grounded artistic training at the Düsseldorf Academy as the master pupil of Wilhelm Schadow. He opened his own studio in the newly rebuilt Düsseldorf house of the estates in 1848, but later moved to another on Schadowstrasse. His visits to the coasts of Germany and Holland, the French North Sea and Channel coasts and Italy had a lasting influence on his oeuvre. He was named royal visiting professor (Titularprofessor) and was a member of the Academies of Berlin, Dresden, Brussels and Amsterdam. His works were exhibited in two world fairs and his pupils included Felix Schlesinger and Emil Schuback.
Jordan is most well-known for his depictions of the perils faced by fishermen and sailors, as well as scenes of families. The present work is a fine example of this type and shows the anxious families waiting by the shore for the return of their loved ones. As they stare out to sea, their faces are marked by hopeful expectation combined with a measure of fear and doubt after the long wait.