Willem van Veldhuizen (born January 13, 1954, in Rotterdam, Netherlands) is a Dutch painter, known for his photorealism and hyperrealism paintings of his museum interiors.[1]

Willem van Veldhuizen
Willem van Veldhuizen, New York City, 1992
Born(1954-01-13)January 13, 1954
NationalityDutch
Known forPainting
MovementHyperrealism
Awards1978 Bronze medal European prize for the Art of painting - Karel Klinkenbergprize for Art of drawing - Royal Subsidy for painting

Life and work

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Willem van Veldhuizen was born in Rotterdam, the Netherlands,[2] and took his studies at the Willem de Kooning Academy from 1972 to 1977 together with artists like Frank Dam, Jos Looise, and Anton Vrede [nl]. His work is influenced by classical masters like the 17th century Dutch painter of church interiors Pieter Jansz Saenredam, with whom he shares a preference for sacred rooms, tranquility and colors in harmonizing tones, and by classic-modern masters like Mark Rothko.

The composition of his paintings are composed according to an established pattern: "The upper, narrow part of the canvas shows the back wall or a glass wall through which a garden is visible. A large floor area holds a prominent place. The reality of the building or the world outside is reflected in the floors" The floor area is builds up the according to a special technique: "After the undercoat has been applied and the shadows have been put in, he 'splats' the paint against the canvas: color over color, layer on top of layer - making subtle distinctions in light and dark against the back wall".[3]

In the paintings of his museum interiors, Van Veldhuizen quotes his favorites in art, among others Michelangelo, Picasso, Man Ray, Barnett Newman, Gerrit Rietveld and Le Corbusier.[3]

Publications

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  • Willem van Veldhuizen (1991). Willem van Veldhuizen: tekeningen & schilderijen. ISBN 90-900457-5-9
  • Willem van Veldhuizen & Loek Brons (2001). Willem van Veldhuizen, 1991-2001: tien jaar bij drs. Loek Brons., Van Spijk Art Projects, 2001. ISBN 90-6216-726-8
  • Willem van Veldhuizen (2002). Les filles d'atelier. W. Pijbes (inl.) Kunsthal, 2002. ISBN 90-400-8682-6

References

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  1. ^ Heleen Buijs. Nederlandse realisten na 1950, Waanders Uitgevers, 2001. p. 19
  2. ^ Jean Weiss (2015). 293 Rotterdam Secrets You'll Remember. p. 53
  3. ^ a b Biography Willem van Veldhuizen, 2005. Accessed 19 March 2009.
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