Mills cards

Old

Old is classic and traditional, but certainly not old-fashioned! The painters of the past have immortalized their names in the eternal Dutch symbol. This applies to start with one of the oldest paintings in this series for the painting by Jacob Cats, entitled: 'The outside Amstel'. Of course it is about our capital. The mill is in the background, but clearly distinguishable. In the foreground, the Amstel itself, completely frozen, is full of people skating. The sky above with some clouds is also very special. This is really a picture to make you happy.

Typical Dutch and also dating back centuries, is a painter Antonie Waldorf, who lived in the 19 e century. A very special painting of a 'windmill with a view of Delft'. This painting has great historical value. The mill is painted from a low-lying rear perspective. That is why you do not see these from the front, but the blades from the back. After all, it is about the view to Delft, where the tower of the new church stands out unmistakably. The mill is on the water; in which it also reflects. 

Another old master Johan B. Jongkind, also from the 19th century. His painting is 'Jaagpad on the trekvliet near The Hague'. The royal city can indeed be seen in the distance. These cards contain a piece of history lesson. 

Johannes Hendrik Weissenbruch made a beautiful painting of a windmill: 'Landscape with a windmill near Schiedam'. The ditch and grazing cows complete the scene. This whole is soothing and never boring. A card with which you can encourage others or remind the elderly of the times of the past.

A completely different landscape is by Jan Sluijters. Here you can see various mills from a high point, interspersed with houses. What makes this card so special is the color combination. The mills have special colors, but this also applies to the sky. It seems like colored rain is coming down. In any case, it is an original version of this series with cards of windmills.

Piet Mondrian should not be missing in this series, it is always about sunrise or sunset, or the moonlight. In any case, the elements are central next to the mills. This painter who lived between 1872-1944 made several paintings of windmills, including 'Windmill by moonlight'. It is indeed very special how the mill stands out against this special light. The light is a bit different from the 'Mill at night', it shows much more yellow. The windmill in the sunlight is very different, the image is a bit more blurred, the colors made with blobs, it seems. The mill appears red in the surrounding yellow sunlight. Mondrian has made even more paintings of photos, in special colors, these are certainly worth a look.

New

There are many of them too. A mill is a machine that has always come in handy and that also applies to the present and the future.

Jaap Hart, the photographer, has photographed beautiful winter landscapes, including 'Winter in Holland'. A very nice picture of two mills in a meadow with a frozen ditch next to it, everything snow white. This card can serve as a birthday card in winter, but even a Christmas card. There is another similar card from the same photographer, with a windmill on it.

A photo of a windmill that more often represents spring or summer is by Henk van der Leeden, 'Windmill in pink sunset'. The mill can be seen from the side, it is dark, just like the surrounding houses. But the light of the sky, the pink evening glow, is what makes it so special. The mill rises above the trees and houses, so it stands out beautifully against the sky. The whole is soothing, therefore this card is suitable to send for encouragement.

Photographer Henk P. Drost took a similar picture of a windmill, from 'Molen de Beek'. The mill can be seen diagonally from behind, the blades against the pink sky and clouds. It clearly shows the contrast between light and dark. Another photo of a windmill in the setting sun is accompanied by a cyclist across the dyke in silhouette, with the appropriate title: 'Home'. You can send such a card to someone who, for example, is leaving, or who is going back, or retired.

Tim Killiam, the American photographer, has taken many photos of the canal belt, but also one with three mills in a row, on the water, called 'three mills on the Z'. This is the place Leidschendam.

Igno Cuypers also took photos that highlight the mill and other Dutch features. Like that of cow-mill-cow, this title is very appropriate indeed. The photo is remarkable, the cow from the left comes forward, in front of the blades of the mill. It is clearly cut and paste work, but that is precisely why it is also special and original. A somewhat more common photo by the same maker is of the Green windmill in Kockengen. 

A lot of windmills postcards

There are so many of these cards that it is not possible to describe them all. There are many and they are diverse, those postcards of windmills. Mills will always be everywhere, which is why it is so worthwhile to look at them all carefully and make the right choices.