Jans Muskee / Tintoretto

Tintoretto

Christ Washing The Disciples' Feet

1548-49

oil on canvas

228 × 533 cm 

Prado, Madrid

It was 1989 when I first saw this painting of Tintoretto. It was on an excursion from the Rijksakademie to the Prado in Madrid.

A revelation.

I made geometrically abstract paintings, delving into the relations of shapes and colour. In this painting I saw a similar investigation, but so rich and varied, and taking place on so many different levels. The artificiality which I was looking for in the abstract, could be seen here in the order of an everyday scene.

Not much was required: a stage, a backcloth, props and some figurants. Ever since that day, I have been making theater out of all I see.

Jans Muskee, 2019

Jans Muskee (NL)

An Early Sunday Morning

2014

oil pastel on paper

195 x 300 cm

www.jansmuskee.nl

Mariëtte van Erp / Vincent van Gogh

Mariëtte van Erp
Nederland 
2019
alkyd, oil on wood
25 x 35 cm    

Vincent van Gogh
De heuvel van Montmartre met steengroeve
1886
oil on canvas
32 x 41 cm
Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam

Mariëtte van Erp and the art of painting inside out

I’m strongly aware that I’m part of an age-old tradition of painting...

Picking just a couple of artists from that always sells the rest short.

Coming however from my love for environment and landscape, my initial thought landed at Vincent Van Gogh, followed by Roger Raveel and Leon Adriaans.

It took a little while for me to be able to appreciate the work of Roger Raveel and Leon Adriaans: their work hit too close to home, it almost obstructed me in developing my own visual style. By now however I feel very much connected to these artists who, just like me, paint with great sensitivity for their surroundings. For Adriaans that concerns Brabant, same as for me. How could it be any different?

Raveel kept his subjects very close to his heart, and shows how the most elementary subjects can be grand and without boundaries when painted...

Adriaans showed me that proper painting can actually look like bad painting, and that it is in fact the beholder who has – or needs to have – the capacity to grow.

Van Gogh however never obstructed me in any way. His work comes from a whole other era, and is seen as ‘tradition’ by now. His work is honest and full of feeling for his environment, which he relentlessly tried to paint sort of inside out.

The fact that Van Gogh worked outside a lot showed me a way ever since I was a child. He showed me a whole new possibility: to sit in the countryside, filled with love for the scenery, pencil and paint in hand an completely one with life...

Mariëtte van Erp, September 2019

Mariëtte van Erp
Populieren
2017
paint on mdf 
59 x 48,5 cm    

Vincent van Gogh
Avenue of poplars at sunset
1884

oil on canvas
45,5 x 32,5 cm
Kröller- Müller  Museum, Otterlo

Mariëtte van Erp
Landschap
2019
alkyd, acrylic on cotton
60 x 80 cm    

Vincent van Gogh
Knotwilg
1882
pencil, ink, watercolour, chalk op paper
38 x 55,8 cm 
Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam 

Mariëtte van Erp (NL)
Aardappelloof 
2018
paint on multiplex
31 x 50 cm
www.mariettevanerp.com    

Vincent van Gogh

Aardappelrooiende boerin
1885
chalk on paper
39,7 x 45,3 cm
Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam