Jaap Saxartist • painterAmsterdam 1899-1977 Alkmaar

Painter, draftsman, and sculptor Jaap Sax initially practiced a technical profession and painted a little in his spare time. After a while, this hobby grew into his profession, and he started as a professional artist. First in his hometown of Amsterdam, then in Laren, where he regularly worked with Leo Gestel. It was here that his broadly painted impressionistic landscapes of the Gooi region and village scenes were created, which appear to be inspired by Breitner. After some travels to Limburg and Belgium, Sax decided to join the painters of the Bergen School in 1936 and moved to Bergen. Leo Gestel offered him his rebuilt studio on the Buerweg there, where other painters such as Dirk Filarski and Charley Toorop also had their studios. At that point, Sax's way of working also changed. He painted on a smaller format than in his early days, less broadly, and with subdued grey-green colours. He became known for the powerful way in which he depicted the North Holland landscape.