Hans Engelman

Saturday, 8 December 2007

Today I finished a renovation job at an appartment near the Rijksmuseum. I started doing some painting, but I ended up doing 1001 other things too. For more than 25 years there was nothing done in this place, so I spend 12 days repairing and restoring all kinds of everything. Very much what I like to do.
The woman who lived in the apartment was once married with an artist, a painter named Hans Engelman. There were paintings of him on all the walls, and I really liked some of them. He passed away 15 years ago or so, I didn’t ask. He lived from his work, but after he died, not much of his work was sold anymore. The lady said she had plans to make a website about the work of Hans Engelman, but she didn’t seem in a hurry.
I have no knowledge of the art world. I mean, I wouldn’t be able to tell what a painting is worth, and I have no interest in that at all too. But I do know when I like something and there is something about the work of Hans Engelman that I like!
The lady (her name is Ans Lievense ) told me a few stories about her husband, and when I asked her if could write about him in this blog, she gave me a map with some photo’s of his paintings. He seemed to be mostly interested in painting landscapes and models.
In the late 50’s and early 60’s there lived not much black women in Holland, and posing naked for a white painter was very not done back then. But Hans managed to find a handful of black women willing to pose for him, and the results are among his best work. I picked some of my favourite model paintings for today’s story. Next time I will show of the landscapes. And you can see some of his paintings here
Ans and Hans both were musicians; they play(ed) violin. I have no idea if Ans has any recordings, but I wouldn’t let you hear them anyway, because I do not like classical music.
While Googling for info on Hans I discovered that a guy with the same name has written a poem that Wayne King recorded for RCA Victor in the 78rpm era. Unfortunately I don’t have a recording of that record. And I have not any other recording of Wayne King either. Not do I have another version of that poem. So, that explains why I choose for today’s soundtrack this song by another King, about whom I will write more later.

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