"In Groningen I also lived at the harbour, and I always used to chat with those skippers. Afterwards Willem Roelofs and Tadema taught me a lot, in the years from '66 to '69 in Brussels."

“biographical notes on Hendrik Willem Mesdag, in Dutch RKD-Archive, The Hague”

“At the coast you can see the most beautiful sea. I also made my panorama there. I regard it as my most important work; because it gives such a huge impression of nature. But I don't like to start it all again; to paint sixteen hundred meters of canvas there..”

“Those two instructed in exactly the opposite way, you know. For example, Roelofs used to say: you must put more color in that drawing . And you didn't always saw it yourself in a moment, because you were not yet that far and as high as the master himself was. But Tadema did something completely different; he had more the manners of a professor, who gave his lectures. So Roelofs and he actually complemented each other.”

“Dear Niece Angel, - Thank you for your words of condolence in the death of . At the funeral it turned out again how much she is honored and loved by all. She was the sun in my life, and although painfully affected, I remember in silent melancholy the many years that I might kept her. Fortunately, the end has been calm and quiet and because of this she has been spared for even greater pains by her illness . I hope to find in my work consolation and distraction for the irreparable loss.- With friendly greetings Your affectionate Nephew HW Mesdag”

“..the art-reviews on my work in the French and English magazines.. .. enough to claim that I already have reached a prominent position among today's marine painters. I would also like to take this fact into consideration when determining my prices.”

“many free pictures of Mesdag's paintings: on the website, Rijksmuseum Amsterdam”