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Adriaan Venema (1941-1993)

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A journalist who searched for the controversy. Specially the subject of right and wrong during the WWII period was a reoccurring subject in his articles and letters to other journalists and writers. He ended his life by suicide on the age of 52 in the presence of his wife who he had married some weeks before. But this was not only a bitter man. Art in general was one of the highlights in his life  and because of the love of it he wrote some excellent books on the artists he admired or had known. He wrote books on Dutch painters in Paris, de Bergense school and some monographic books of which some are available at www.ftn-books.com

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A nice special comparison between Vincent van Gogh and Arman

At the gallery Marianne & Pierre Nahon,  Arman presented his series that he made while inspired by one of the most famous Vincent van Gogh paintings LA NUIT ETOILEE.  A painting that inspired other artists too.

For instance Don McLean made his Starry Starry Night as . a tribute to this painting and the life of Vincent van Gogh.

But Arman took his inspiration not from the music but from the composition, colors and the swirl of the paint. The series is fantastic and shows the strength of Arman. He mixes his personal style with that of van Gogh. The catalogue from 1994 is now available at www.ftn-books.com together with many other Arman publications.

arman nuit

 

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Douwe Jan Bakker (1943-1997)

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( no portrait found)

The first time i heard of Douwe Jan Bakker  was the time Hans Locher mentioned Bakker to have an exhibition in the Gemeentemuseum. I did not know the artist at that time but soon would learn that he was and is one of the leading conceptual artists. The iedea behind the work is more important than the execution of it. Because another exhibition was cancelled. The Gemeentemuseum organized, before their renovation closure, the Retrospektive exhibition which was long time due. Douwe Jan Bakker did not have many of these exhibitions but this one was  a necessary one and fortunately just in time because soon after, Douwe Jan Bakker died ( 1997). There are not many publications on Douwe Jan Bakker published, but www.ftn-books.com has two important ones for sale. The first is from the Gemeentemuseum (1996) and the second one from the Centraal Museum (1977). Artistically and from a art historian point of view important publications.

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Egon Schiele …The Self portraits

 

Yesterdays blog inspired me to write a blog on the self portraits of Egon Schiele. Schiele himself was his most reliable model and in the short period he made his art he always made studies of himself and really stroke a pose.  Studies of his head and studies of full length figures all show the different poses he took. In many of these studies/portraits his head or body is distorted in some way making the pose exceptional and really typical for Egon Schiele. Some of these selfportraits are available through www.ftn-books.com. I bought these at the time there was a “Schiele Klimt Klee” exhibition at the Gemeentemuseum Den Haag and these prints were made according to the highest standards by the printshop of the Gemeentemuseum. Best of all …their size is 1 on 1 with the original drawing which makes the print almost perfect.

 

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Michael Parkes published by Gallery Steltman in 1988

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There was a time that the original art by Michael Parkes was still affordable. The mid Eighties changed that and Parkes became a highly commercial artist and for his show in 1988 at Steltman galleries, it was decided that together with the showing of the new paintings, a series of signed lithographs was to be published. But that was not the end , because beside the lithographs an excellent specially printed poster was published. On it the painting TUESDAY’s CHILD from 1988. This print has become one of the ost iconic ones published by Steltman, because it contained all the elements Parkes has become famous for. there is a Monkey, a juggler, a ballerina on a flaming rope and even the dramatic doves are included. Beside these elements, the composition of the painting is excellent. Making this one of my favorite Parkes prints of all time.

The print is available at www.ftn-books.com

parkes poster 1988 a