Jump to content

Jean Thomassen

Edit links
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jean Thomassen
Jean Thomassen in his studio at Heiloo, The Netherlands
Born (1949-09-05) 5 September 1949 (age 75)
The Hague
Education
  • Comeniusschool
  • Populier Gymnasium
Known for
MovementFantastic art
Awards
  • Knight in the Order of Orange-Nassau for contribution to Dutch art (2010)
Websitewww.jeanthomassen.nl

Jean Thomassen (born 5 September 1949) is a Dutch artist and writer[1] whose paintings are in an 'absurd realism' style.[2][3][4] He lives in Heiloo in the Netherlands.

Absurd realism is a type of art within the broad category of fantastic art. The term was first mentioned  in the Netherlands  in 1991 in the book 'The Absurd Reality of Jean Thomassen' by the Belgian author Gerard van Hulst.[2]

Jean Thomassen's works in this field include the triptychs Egyptian Triptych (1995) and Last Judgement Day (2006-2011), 28 x Rembrandt (1989), and 1900 & Yesterday (2012-2017). A characteristic of Thomassen's paintings is the many incongruous elements such as skies full of nails and fried eggs, crooked houses with weeping roof tiles, and eyes. In this respect his work has been compared in the press to that of the Dutch painter Hieronymus Bosch (c1450-1516).[5][failed verification] On 17 November 2008 a number of his works, including Egyptian Triptych, were destroyed when the Daan Enneking collection[6] went up in flames.[7][8]

In 2010, Jean Thomassen was made a knight in the Order of Orange-Nassau[9] for his contributions to Dutch art. In 2013 his work was awarded a Merit Award[10] in Leipzig Germany, and in 2014 he won the First Prize Palm Award.[11][12]

Career

[edit]

Thomassen did not receive formal training to become an artist and initially designed sleeves for Bootleg albums for White Label and Redita Records.[13]

In 1973 Thomassen developed a relationship with the ballerina and actress Ine Veen,.[14] Born in 1937, Veen had trained in dance at the Nel Roos Ballet Academy in Amsterdam, and was subsequently contracted by Yvonne Georgi for the Hanover Opera Ballet.[15][16] Veen became the inspiration of many of his paintings and appeared in many of them. She arranged his debut exhibition at Gallery Artim in The Hague in 1974 and this was followed by Dutch TV film.[17]

Ine Veen also encouraged Thomassen to enter international competitions, resulting in prizes in New York 1988, Toronto 1987, 1988, 1989[13] and the Biennale of Gabrovo 1989.[18] Critics were initially divided in the assessment of his work:[15] some thought his paintings must be the product of a deranged mind, while others viewed Thomassen as a genius.[19]

Glenn Janes at Museum Slager, viewing '1900 and Yesterday, No 2' (1989).

In 1991, he held a series of commemorative exhibitions to mark the 60th anniversary of the death of Russian ballerina Anna Pavlova (1881-1931). He wrote a biography of Pavlova in 1995 that received publicity in England[20][21][22] and Russia. Other exhibitions followed,[16] including one in 1995 covering at the Markiezenhof Museum in Bergen op Zoom in the Netherlands[23][24] which also marked the publication of Gerard van Hulst's book 'De absurde realiteit van Jean Thomassen' ('The Absurd Reality of Jean Thomassen).[2]

In 1999, Thomassen exhibited at the Daan Enneking Collection in the West-Fries Museum in Hoorn, followed by a retrospective there in 2001. In 2003 he exhibited for the first time in France at Galerie Archetypes Art International in Hyeres, followed in 2004 by an exhibition of his paintings at the 9th Salon International in Marseille.[25]

Books

[edit]

Thomassen has written the following books:

  • Anna Pavlova, Triumph and Tragedy of a Megastar [Anna Pavlova, triomf en tragedie van een megaster], 1995, ISBN 9789068810424
  • Old Masters of Tomorrow (the Enneking Collection), 2000, ISBN 9068811045
  • Scams in the Art and Antiques Trade [Zwendel in de kunst en antiekhandel], 2007, ISBN 9789059112858
  • The Gospel of Evil [Het evangelie van het kwaad], 2007, ISBN 9789059115569
  • Egypt Before and Different [Egypte eerder en anders], 2008, ISBN 9059115759
  • Bastards in art [Smeerlappen in de kunst], 2009, ISBN 9789059115996
  • Mediums and other phenomena, Paranormal or deception? [Mediums en andere fenomenen], 2009, ISBN 9789059117518
  • Music of the Devil [Muziek van de duivel], 2009, ISBN 9789059117082
  • Was Adam a Gorilla? [Was Adam een gorilla], 2010, ISBN 9789059119291
  • Notes on the Holocaust, 2011, ISBN 9789059116962
  • Curtain up for a real star [Doek op voor een echte ster], 2017, ISBN 9789087596873
  • 1900 and Yesterday [1900 en gisteren], 2019, ISBN 9789087598303
  • The Amasis Collection (Foreword), 2020, ISBN 9780956627179

References

[edit]
  1. ^ The World's Who's Who of Intellectuals (8th ed.). UK: Cambridge University Press. 1990. p. 820. ISBN 0948875305.
  2. ^ a b c Van Hulst, Gerard (1995). The Absurd Reality of Jean Thomassen (in Dutch). Amsterdam: Van Soeren & Co. ISBN 9068810553.
  3. ^ Old Masters of Tomorrow: The Daan Enneking Collection (Oude meesters van morgen: De Daan Enneking Collectie) (in Dutch). 1998. ISBN 9068811045.
  4. ^ Habata, Prof. Gerhard (2013). Lexikon der phantastischen Künstler (in German) (2nd ed.). Vienna: Palais Palffy. ISBN 9783848263073.
  5. ^ "Jean Thomassen de hedendaagse Jeroen Bosch (Jean Thomassen, present-day Jeroen Bosch)". Noord Hollands Dagblad. 10 August 2019.
  6. ^ Thomassen, Jean (2001). Old Masters of Tomorrow: The Daan Enneking Collection (Oude meesters van morgen: De Daan Enneking collectie) (in Dutch). Netherlands: Van Soeren. ISBN 9789068811049.
  7. ^ "Fantastisch realisten gaan in vlammen op". Volkskrant. 2 December 2008.
  8. ^ "Kunstcollectie in vlammen op". De Telegraaf. 2 December 2008.
  9. ^ Affairs, Ministry of General (April 14, 2015). "Personal decorations - Decorations and honours - Royal House of the Netherlands". www.royal-house.nl.
  10. ^ Art Domain, Merit Award 2013, Leipzig. Award: 2 January 2014.
  11. ^ Palm Art Award  2014 (Art Domain), Merit Award, 1st Prize. Award date: 12th January 2015.
  12. ^ "Palm Art Award". PalmArtAward.
  13. ^ a b "Catalogue". International Exhibition of Art, Toronto. 1988–1989.
  14. ^ "Het mysterie van Ine Veen". Telegraaf. 16 January 1973.
  15. ^ a b Thomassen, Jean (2017). Curtain up for a Real Star (Doek op voor een echte ster) (in Dutch) (2nd ed.). U2pi. ISBN 9789087596873.
  16. ^ a b Janes, Glenn (2019). Absurd Realism. U2pi. ISBN 9789087598419.
  17. ^ "The artist and his model". Veronica TV. 4 May 1977.
  18. ^ "Catalogue". 9th International Biennial of Humor and Satire in the Arts 1998–1991 – via Museum of Gabrovo Bulgarski Houdozhnik Publishers.
  19. ^ "Versmaad en bewonderd". Telegraaf. 31 March 2016.
  20. ^ "Pavlova's ashes may return to St. Petersburg". The Daily Telegraph. 8 March 1993.
  21. ^ Henley, Sarah. "Out of Pavlova's ashes arises debate". Reuter's.
  22. ^ Bennet, Vanora (25 October 1993). "Moscow wants ballerina's ashes back". Reuter's.
  23. ^ "Een genie of een gek (A genius or a madman)". Telegraaf. 10 June 1995.
  24. ^ "Jean Thomassen geniaal of knettergek (Jean Thomassen: genius or crazy)". Rotterdam's Nieuwsblad. 6 May 1995.
  25. ^ "8e Salon de l'internationale art, Parc Chanot, Marseille". Catalogue. 2007.
[edit]
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Jean_Thomassen&oldid=1178735555"