First Lessons by Bernard Pothast

BERNARD JEAN CORNEILLE POTHAST (DUTCH, 1882–1966)
First Lessons
Oil on canvas, signed lower right
37 x 48 in. (94 x 122 cm)

In First Lessons, Pothast presents a quiet, reverent moment of early childhood education. A mother gently instructs her children in a sunlit room filled with warm, textured surfaces and carefully observed details. The soft diffusion of light through the window, the humble furnishings, and the relaxed postures of the figures create a timeless atmosphere of love, care, and simplicity. Pothast's refined technique and emotional sensitivity helped secure his popularity in the early 20th century, particularly with collectors in the Netherlands, England, and the United States.

Bernard Pothast was a Dutch painter best known for his tender and luminous depictions of domestic life, particularly scenes of mothers and children in rustic interiors. He studied at the Rijksakademie van Beeldende Kunsten in Amsterdam and continued his training in Paris, where he was influenced by the French academic tradition and the Dutch Golden Age painters.

This work exemplifies Pothast’s enduring appeal: a nostalgic celebration of home, motherhood, and the intimate beauty of everyday life.