Jan Toorop

He was born in the former Dutch East Indies (now Indonesia), and childhood influences such as wayang puppets and the abundant natural world formed an enduring inspiration in his artistic career. ‘The foundation of my work is Eastern,’ he explained. Toorop relocated to the Netherlands in 1869, where he studied at the Rijksakademie for fine arts in Amsterdam. His work connected with Symbolism, an artistic style engaging with intangible phenomena such as dreams, spirituality and the supernatural. Toorop also designed well-known posters and book covers that are instantly recognisable for his use of graceful decorative lines. He spent much of his time in Zeeland province, where he became friends with other artists including Piet Mondrian. His daughter, Charley Toorop, was also a famous artist.