"HENDRIK WILLEM MESDAG (1831-1915), Dutch marine painter, was born at Groningen Feb. 23 1831. He adopted a business career, entering the family banking firm of Mesdag, but about 1866 he came under the influence of Josef Israels, with the result that he took up the study of art. His sea pieces became famous, and earned him the gold medal of the Paris Salon, among them being " Effet du soir a Scheveningen " (1372); " Apres 1'Orage " (1895); " Rentree des bateaux de peahe " (1900) and " Une soiree sur la plage de Scheveningen " (1911). He also made a fine collection of pictures and objets d'art, which he presented to the nation, and they are housed in the Mesdag museum at The Hague. He died at The Hague July 7 1915.