Rob Graafland

Self-portrait 1936

dancer

Robert Archibald Antonius Joan Graafland (born November 26, 1875 in Maastricht , † April 28, 1940 in Heerlen ) was a Dutch genre and portrait painter and art educator.

His father, Jonkheer Joan Graafland (1850-1925), was a commissioner-banker.

In 1890 the Graafland family moved from Maastricht to Amsterdam , where Rob attended the Rijksnormaalschool voor Teekenonderwijzers (school for drawing teachers) and the Quellinus arts and crafts school. From 1895 he studied at the Amsterdam Royal Academy van Beeldende Kunsten with August Allebé and Carel Dake .

After completing his studies, Graafland returned to Maastricht in 1898 and became a drawing teacher at the Stadstekeninstituut (Municipal Drawing Institute). In addition to painting, Rob Graafland also taught music and literature.

On November 26, 1901, Graafland founded the Sunday School for Decorative Arts together with the Stadsteekeninstituut. This painting course took place on Sunday morning. In winter Graafland and his students also painted in the Augustinerkirche, in summer they occupied themselves with open-air painting . This group was also called "De klas Graafland".

In 1902 Graafland married Maria Hubertina Leopoldina Isabella Duquesne (1881–1956). During their honeymoon, the couple visited Italy . In 1903 their daughter Suzanna (1903–1972) was born. Graafland traveled to the United States in 1905 and stayed there for a few months. During his stay he was engaged in outdoor painting with his American colleagues.

In January 1906 the second child, Charles (1906–1975) was born. For financial reasons, Graafland had to sell the large single-family house that he had built in 1902 on Scharnerweg according to his own design. The Graafland family moved to Belgium, first to Liège and then to Wandre near Maastricht, from where Graafland continued his lessons at the Municipal Drawing Institute and Sunday School in Maastricht.

In 1911 the Graafland family moved to Sint Pieter near Maastricht. The big house had a park-like garden that turned Graafland into an Italian garden. The house became the meeting point for artists in Maastricht.

In 1910 Graafland founded the Limburg Art Circle with other artists and was elected first chairman. In 1912 Graafland won the bronze medal of the city of Amsterdam for his painting "Reading Girl". Queen Wilhelmina awarded him the gold medal in 1916 for his paintings "Joy of Life" and "Girl in the Sunshine".

After the successes came a depression around 1919. He could not work for days or even months. Graafland therefore retired at the age of 44. The Graafland family moved back to Maastricht. Graafland did not recover until 1934. He became socially active, illustrated children's books and magazines. In 1933 the Graafland family moved to Vught . Shortly afterwards he became mentally ill and was admitted to the Voorburg psychiatric clinic in Vught, soon recovering. In 1938 he moved to The Hague. He retired to his former home in Vught. In 1940, he became seriously ill with cancer and died during surgery.

Many of his works were lost on March 3, 1945 in the Allied bombing.

literature

• Rob Graafland . In: Biografisch portaal van Nederland (digitized version )
• Official website (digitized version)

Web links

Commons : Rob Graafland  - collection of images, videos and audio files

• Rob Graafland. Biographical data and works in the Netherlands Institute for Art History (Dutch)
• Official biography (digitized version)
• Museum aan het Vrijthof Biography (digitized version )
• Mark Smit Kunsthandel Biography (digitized version)