Pencil, chalk, and pastel on paperexpand_more
The John E. Andrus III Endowment Fund and gifts of funds from Nivin MacMillan and Sheila Morganexpand_more 2018.35.2
Jan Toorop was a leading artist in the Netherlands in the turn of the last century. He was born in Java, in modern-day Indonesia, the son of a Dutch-Indonesian father and an English-Chinese mother. At 14, he moved to the Netherlands, where he trained as an artist. He was active as a draftsman, painter, printmaker, and designer of posters, book illustrations, and decorative arts.
This is one of a pair of portraits (see also 2018.35.1) that Toorop drew in Switzerland in 1909. They depict husband and wife Fritz and Nina Meyer-Fierz of Zurich, who were major collectors of work by modern artists, including Vincent van Gogh, Paul Cézanne, Paul Gauguin—and Toorop. Toorop depicted the 49-year-old Nina as a forceful figure, with an intense gaze. Fritz’s eyes, on the other hand, are averted from the viewer, giving him a more retiring demeanor.
This record is from historic documentation and may not have been reviewed by a curator, so may be inaccurate or incomplete. Our records are frequently revised and enhanced. If you notice a mistake or have additional information about this object, please email collectionsdata@artsmia.org.
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