Idyllic Dutch Countryside in Autumn Original Oil on Canvas by Johannes Frederik Van Slogteren

Details

Description

Johannes Frederik van Slogteren (1904-1991) was born in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, where he lived for many years.

His art teacher … Read more Johannes Frederik van Slogteren (1904-1991) was born in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, where he lived for many years.

His art teacher in primary school already noticed his talent and used his drawings to decorate the hallways. After school in 1916, his father decided his son should become a butcher. He learned the trade in a local butchery.

At the age of 18 he left home to follow his dream “to be a painter of the arts” and he became successful. He took lessons from a well known female painter, Sarika Góth and after a few lessons she told him “no need to spend more money” just continue the way you are painting.
The years prior to World War II are described in the history of Holland as a depression period, however somehow he had to make a living to feed his family. He changed his style of painting and his work became inferior to what he was used to. Retail furniture stores commissioned him and these paintings were used as “give aways” to well-to-do clients, who spent “big money”. He signed these works with a pseudonym. During World War II everyone had a bad time. Food was scarce. He travelled the countryside by public transportation and visited farms to exchange his paintings for food. He moved to Canada but only stayed for a short time. He decided to return to the Netherlands where he faced yet another problem. No house to live in, so consequently he moved in with relatives. There was a huge housing shortage due to the destruction during the war, which resulted in long waiting lists for housing. After five months the family finally got a place of their own, a small apartment in the south of Amsterdam. Luckily there was an extra room on the top floor where he could paint.

As years went by he was able to make a living in painting again, mainly from commissions by private persons. These paintings he signed with his own name. His paintings were also exported to the Scandinavian countries and the U.S.A. See less