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Toon Kelderartist • painter • watercolourist • draughtsman • sculptorRotterdam 1894-1973 Den Haag

biography of Antonius Bernardus 'Toon' Kelder

Toon Kelder is one of the painters who developed their own style at the beginning of the 20th century under the influence of the avant-garde painters in Paris. He was also driven by a constant urge to innovate. In the 1920s he painted flowers, figures, nudes and cityscapes in expressive and strong brushstrokes and colors, characteristic of the Bergen school. Then, between 1930-1945, a time followed when his work became more and more imaginative and rarefied in character. Dreamy ideal images of riders, amazons, musicians, horses and groups of nudes in Arcadian landscapes, painted in blonde tones or amber colors. Critic Jan Voskuil called these kinds of paintings admirably 'Dreamed reality'. This also applied to Cellars nudes and fantasy images, borrowed from Biblical stories and mythology. Ethereal female nudes, for which his wife Alexandrine often posed, in graceful postures, standing, lying or sitting. They are subtle, stylized paintings, the background light in tone and the figures painted in soft, hazy tones, making them seem almost abstract in quality. They are characterized by an emphasis on the feminine forms. This was more important to Kelder than the facial expression of the model; the pronounced curves symbolize the sensual female figure. He is very successful with this work, both with critics and the public. Kasper Niehaus writes in 1942 about Toon Kelder in Levend Nederlandsche Kunst, 1942. '(…) there are, so to speak, two souls living in the chest of this painter: that of a realist and a romantic. ”Still, always looking for innovation, he changed course again after 1946. When he was confronted with his ‘old, opulent’ work during a group exhibition in the Amsterdam Stedelijk Museum in 1947, he no longer thinks it worth the least effort. He qualifies it as 'rubbish' that should get out. He was apparently stuck in personal expressionism, so much so that he bought back older work and even destroyed it. His images soften and diffuse colors make way for limited areas of color. Brush drawings in smooth lines - he didn't paint anymore - mark the transition. Under the influence of the École de Paris, Kelder abstracts form and color and works more and more abstractly to capture the essence of his subjects. In the late 1940s, Kelder also became a sculptor. His sculptures look abstract, but the starting point always remains a motif from nature; birds, horsemen, masks and women's bodies. Kelder then sighs that he 'finally makes something worthwhile.'

Born in Rotterdam, Kelder attended the Academy there, and also in The Hague, the Academy of Visual Arts. After several trips to Spain, France and North Africa, he settled in The Hague in 1924, where he married Alexandrine Gortmans in 1925. Besides being a wife, she was also the muse of Kelder. After a trip to France in 1960, she would discover her artistic inspirations there and start painting the exotic nature, which reminded her so much of her native Indonesia. Toon Kelder did not play a major role in the Hague painting circuit. He had his friends in the academic and literary field and led a fairly sober life. He was also choosy about visitors, you didn't just come in to him, only after an appointment by telephone. Since Kelder was a true Francophile who read a lot of French literature and even corresponded in French, he also expected his visitors to comment on his work in French. He had blinded the windows of his studio to avoid distraction, and from time to time displayed erratic behavior that could quickly turn into a fight.

Kelder did not care about the recognition of the public, he acted on principle from inner conviction and made everything subordinate to his art. Nevertheless, he participated in many exhibitions during his life and his work has ended up in many museums, even the MOMA in New York that accepted one of his sculptures as a gift. If he banned all color from his gouaches after the war, which would eventually lead to geometric-abstract gouaches in deep black paint on white paper, only small circles appreciate this. The Hague celebrities such as art critic Jos de Gruyter, Wim Beeren, then curator at the Gemeentemuseum and art collector Frits Becht admired and supported Kelder's vision and attitude. Kelder would continue to make this work until his sudden death in 1973, which was announced in a local newspaper only with a small message after his funeral.


for salepaintings, watercolours, drawings and sculptures by Toon Kelder


Toon Kelder | Female nude, oil on canvas, 72.7 x 108.4 cm, signed l.l.

Toon Kelder

painting • for sale

Female nude

Toon Kelder | A flower still life, oil on canvas, 67.0 x 37.3 cm, signed l.l.

Toon Kelder

painting • for sale

A flower still life

Toon Kelder | The barrel organ, oil on canvas, 76.0 x 64.4 cm, signed u.r. and dated 7 '26

Toon Kelder

painting • for sale

The barrel organ

Toon Kelder | Flower still life with fruit bowl, oil on panel, 58.5 x 44.5 cm, signed u.l.

Toon Kelder

painting • for sale

Flower still life with fruit bowl

Toon Kelder | Still life with roses, oil on board, 52.1 x 33.2 cm, signed l.l.

Toon Kelder

painting • for sale

Still life with roses

Toon Kelder | Reclining nude, oil on painter's board, 69.4 x 88.1 cm, signed l.r.

Toon Kelder

painting • for sale

Reclining nude

Toon Kelder | Mother, feeding her baby, oil on canvas, 68.5 x 54.2 cm, signed u.l.

Toon Kelder

painting • for sale

Mother, feeding her baby

Toon Kelder | Three women, oil on canvas, 157.5 x 92.6 cm, signed u.r.

Toon Kelder

painting • for sale

Three women

Toon Kelder | Female nude, oil on canvas, 47.3 x 27.5 cm, signed l.l.

Toon Kelder

painting • for sale

Female nude

Toon Kelder | Peaches in a tin dish, oil on canvas, 32.3 x 43.3 cm, signed l.l. and dated '40

Toon Kelder

painting • for sale

Peaches in a tin dish

Toon Kelder | Flowers, oil on canvas, 57.2 x 39.4 cm, signed l.l.

Toon Kelder

painting • for sale

Flowers

Toon Kelder | Female nude, seen from the back, oil on canvas, 36.7 x 41.1 cm, signed l.l.

Toon Kelder

painting • for sale

Female nude, seen from the back

Toon Kelder | Female nudes, oil on canvas, 47.8 x 64.5 cm, signed l.l.

Toon Kelder

painting • for sale

Female nudes

Toon Kelder | A lady drinking tea with pastry and a grammophone, oil on canvas, 90.4 x 110.4 cm, signed u.r.

Toon Kelder

painting • for sale

A lady drinking tea with pastry and a grammophone

Toon Kelder | Standing female nude, oil on canvas, 70.3 x 30.5 cm, signed l.l.

Toon Kelder

painting • for sale

Standing female nude

Toon Kelder | Female nude standing in the bathtub, oil on canvas, 56.0 x 46.3 cm, signed l.l. and dated '27

Toon Kelder

painting • for sale

Female nude standing in the bathtub

Toon Kelder | Reclining female nude, pen, ink, chalk and watercolour on paper, 33.7 x 25.2 cm, signed l.l.

Toon Kelder

watercolour • drawing • for sale

Reclining female nude

Toon Kelder | Abstract composition, gouache on paper, 77.0 x 68.0 cm, signed l.r. and dated '69

Toon Kelder

watercolour • drawing • for sale

Abstract composition

Toon Kelder | A still life with flowers, a vase and a lemon, gouache on paper, 40.0 x 28.2 cm, signed l.r.

Toon Kelder

watercolour • drawing • for sale

A still life with flowers, a vase and a lemon

Toon Kelder | Reclining nude, pen and ink on paper (on board), 19.6 x 29.8 cm, signed l.r.

Toon Kelder

watercolour • drawing • for sale

Reclining nude

Toon Kelder | Sleeping nude, pencil, chalk and oil on board, 53.9 x 65.0 cm, signed l.l.

Toon Kelder

watercolour • drawing • for sale

Sleeping nude

Toon Kelder | Torso - muscle study, red chalk on paper, 25.0 x 18.7 cm, signed l.r.

Toon Kelder

watercolour • drawing • for sale

Torso - muscle study


previously for salepaintings, watercolours, drawings and sculptures by Toon Kelder


Toon Kelder | Still life with hydrangea by a window, oil on canvas, 110.5 x 90.6 cm, signed l.l. and dated '25

Toon Kelder

painting • previously for sale

Still life with hydrangea by a window

Toon Kelder | Reclining nude, oil on canvas, 45.0 x 66.0 cm, signed l.l. and jaren 30

Toon Kelder

painting • previously for sale

Reclining nude

Toon Kelder | Tulips, oil on board, 58.9 x 48.7 cm, signed l.l.

Toon Kelder

painting • previously for sale

Tulips

Toon Kelder | Flowers, oil on board, 49.8 x 40.0 cm, signed l.l.

Toon Kelder

painting • previously for sale

Flowers

Toon Kelder | A still life with a fruit bowl, oil on panel, 34.7 x 24.8 cm, signed l.l.

Toon Kelder

painting • previously for sale

A still life with a fruit bowl

Toon Kelder | Standing nude, oil on canvas, 55.5 x 37.2 cm

Toon Kelder

painting • previously for sale

Standing nude

Toon Kelder | The nude model, oil on painter's board, 53.2 x 49.0 cm, signed l.r.

Toon Kelder

painting • previously for sale

The nude model

Toon Kelder | Nude lying down, oil on canvas, 67.7 x 115.0 cm, signed l.l. and executed 1931

Toon Kelder

painting • previously for sale

Nude lying down

Toon Kelder | Don Quichot and Sancho Panza, oil on canvas laid down on panel, 30.0 x 20.7 cm, signed l.l. and dated '46

Toon Kelder

painting • previously for sale

Don Quichot and Sancho Panza

Toon Kelder | Nudes and musicians, oil on canvas, 34.2 x 54.3 cm, signed l.l.

Toon Kelder

painting • previously for sale

Nudes and musicians

Toon Kelder | Begonia's, oil on canvas, 41.3 x 50.5 cm, signed l.l. and painted circa 1923-1925

Toon Kelder

painting • previously for sale

Begonia's

Toon Kelder | Interior with a view, oil on canvas, 50.1 x 40.4 cm, signed u.r. in full and l.r. with first name

Toon Kelder

painting • previously for sale

Interior with a view

Toon Kelder | Nude with a plant, oil on canvas, 98.2 x 80.4 cm, signed u.r. and dated '24

Toon Kelder

painting • previously for sale

Nude with a plant

Toon Kelder | A female nude, oil on canvas laid down on panel, 42.0 x 30.3 cm, signed l.l. and dated ('39?)

Toon Kelder

painting • previously for sale

A female nude

Toon Kelder | Female nude, oil on canvas, 72.7 x 108.4 cm, signed l.l.

Toon Kelder

painting • previously for sale

Female nude

Toon Kelder | Anemones, oil on canvas, 35.5 x 23.6 cm, signed l.l.

Toon Kelder

painting • previously for sale

Anemones

Toon Kelder | Nudes and horses, oil on cardboard, 57.0 x 44.0 cm, signed l.r. and dated on the reverse Jan. 1932

Toon Kelder

painting • previously for sale

Nudes and horses

Toon Kelder | Renée Paule with doll, oil on canvas, 45.2 x 29.3 cm, signed l.l. twice

Toon Kelder

painting • previously for sale

Renée Paule with doll

Toon Kelder | Reclining nude, oil on canvas, 29.0 x 49.2 cm, signed l.l. and dated '31

Toon Kelder

painting • previously for sale

Reclining nude

Toon Kelder | A reclining nude, oil on canvas, 45.4 x 66.4 cm, signed l.l.

Toon Kelder

painting • previously for sale

A reclining nude

Toon Kelder | Horseriders in a wooded landscape, oil on canvas, 45.0 x 64.5 cm, signed l.l.

Toon Kelder

painting • previously for sale

Horseriders in a wooded landscape

Toon Kelder | Alexandrine, the artist's wife, sleeping, oil on canvas, 64.8 x 76.2 cm, signed l.l. and dated '26

Toon Kelder

painting • previously for sale

Alexandrine, the artist's wife, sleeping

Toon Kelder | Vanitas still life, oil on canvas laid down on panel, 22.5 x 28.5 cm, signed l.l. and dated 17 April

Toon Kelder

painting • previously for sale

Vanitas still life

Toon Kelder | Nude, oil on panel, 36.2 x 24.1 cm, signed l.l. and painted between 1945-1946

Toon Kelder

painting • previously for sale

Nude

Toon Kelder | Saint Joris and the Dragon, oil on canvas, 99.7 x 76.3 cm, signed l.l.

Toon Kelder

painting • previously for sale

Saint Joris and the Dragon

Toon Kelder | A flower still life, oil on canvas, 67.0 x 37.3 cm, signed l.l.

Toon Kelder

painting • previously for sale

A flower still life

Toon Kelder | Riding horseback (portrait of his son), oil on canvas, 98.5 x 80.5 cm, signed l.l. and dated '29

Toon Kelder

painting • previously for sale

Riding horseback (portrait of his son)

Toon Kelder | Mother and child, oil on panel, 22.0 x 16.1 cm, signed l.l.

Toon Kelder

painting • previously for sale

Mother and child

Toon Kelder | A sleeping beauty, oil on canvas, 53.0 x 69.3 cm, signed l.r.

Toon Kelder

painting • previously for sale

A sleeping beauty

Toon Kelder | A reclining nude, oil on canvas, 123.0 x 57.0 cm, signed l.r.

Toon Kelder

painting • previously for sale

A reclining nude

Toon Kelder | Portrait of a girl, oil on canvas, 69.5 x 48.8 cm, signed l.l.

Toon Kelder

painting • previously for sale

Portrait of a girl

Toon Kelder | A still life with flowers, oil on canvas laid down on painter's board, 31.5 x 25.0 cm, signed l.l.

Toon Kelder

painting • previously for sale

A still life with flowers

Toon Kelder | Horseriders in a wooded landscape, oil on canvas, 41.0 x 29.0 cm

Toon Kelder

painting • previously for sale

Horseriders in a wooded landscape

Toon Kelder | A still life with fruit and flowers, oil on panel, 42.4 x 32.7 cm, signed u.r.

Toon Kelder

painting • previously for sale

A still life with fruit and flowers

Toon Kelder | Interior, oil on canvas, 50.0 x 40.0 cm, signed u.r.

Toon Kelder

painting • previously for sale

Interior

Toon Kelder | A still life with carnations, oil on canvas, 51.0 x 42.1 cm, signed l.l.

Toon Kelder

painting • previously for sale

A still life with carnations

Toon Kelder | A colourful bouquet, oil on canvas, 53.5 x 35.5 cm, signed l.r.

Toon Kelder

painting • previously for sale

A colourful bouquet

Toon Kelder | Dancer, iron, wood, 82.2 x 17.0 cm, signed on the bottom and executed 1948-1950

Toon Kelder

statue • sculptuur • previously for sale

Dancer

Toon Kelder | Abstract object, iron, wood, 137.8 x 14.0 cm, signed on the bottom and exected ca. executed ca. 1948-1950

Toon Kelder

statue • sculptuur • previously for sale

Abstract object

Toon Kelder | Abstract object, iron, wood, 74.0 x 27.5 cm, executed ca. 1948-1950

Toon Kelder

statue • sculptuur • previously for sale

Abstract object

Toon Kelder | Abstract figuur, bronze, 26.0 cm, gesigneerd op basis

Toon Kelder

statue • sculptuur • previously for sale

Abstract figuur

Toon Kelder | Reclining nude (Alexandrine), Indian ink and watercolour on paper, 19.2 x 25.9 cm, signed l.l.

Toon Kelder

watercolour • drawing • previously for sale

Reclining nude (Alexandrine)

Toon Kelder | Seated nude, gouache on board, 64.8 x 54.0 cm, signed l.l.

Toon Kelder

watercolour • drawing • previously for sale

Seated nude

Toon Kelder | Woman seated, chalk and watercolour on paper, 31.0 x 24.0 cm

Toon Kelder

watercolour • drawing • previously for sale

Woman seated

Toon Kelder | Reclining nude, Indian ink on paper, 32.5 x 48.0 cm, signed l.r. and dated '49

Toon Kelder

watercolour • drawing • previously for sale

Reclining nude

Toon Kelder | Mother and child, pencil and coloured chalk on paper, 46.5 x 36.5 cm, signed l.l.

Toon Kelder

watercolour • drawing • previously for sale

Mother and child

Toon Kelder | Circus, watercolour on paper, 22.2 x 20.1 cm, signed m.u.

Toon Kelder

watercolour • drawing • previously for sale

Circus

Toon Kelder | Nude with horse, pencil, chalk and watercolour on paper, 14.9 x 23.0 cm, signed l.c.

Toon Kelder

watercolour • drawing • previously for sale

Nude with horse

Toon Kelder | Nude, black chalk on paper, 25.8 x 19.0 cm, signed l.r.

Toon Kelder

watercolour • drawing • previously for sale

Nude

Toon Kelder | A portrait of Mina, pencil, ink and watercolour on paper, 71.8 x 56.3 cm, signed l.l.

Toon Kelder

watercolour • drawing • previously for sale

A portrait of Mina

Toon Kelder | Male nude, red chalk on paper, 59.5 x 49.9 cm, signed u.r. and dated '31

Toon Kelder

watercolour • drawing • previously for sale

Male nude

Toon Kelder | Horseman, gouache on paper, 39.8 x 50.8 cm, signed l.r. and dated '55

Toon Kelder

watercolour • drawing • previously for sale

Horseman

Toon Kelder | Sailing vessel at sea, Antibes, watercolour on paper, 39.5 x 31.5 cm, signed l.l. and dated '61

Toon Kelder

watercolour • drawing • previously for sale

Sailing vessel at sea, Antibes

Toon Kelder | A nude, chalk on paper, 30.4 x 18.0 cm, signed l.l.

Toon Kelder

watercolour • drawing • previously for sale

A nude

Toon Kelder | Abstract composition, Indian ink on paper, 24.9 x 19.9 cm, signed l.r.

Toon Kelder

watercolour • drawing • previously for sale

Abstract composition

Toon Kelder | Abstract composition, Indian ink on paper, 19.6 x 31.6 cm, signed l.c. and dated XI '71

Toon Kelder

watercolour • drawing • previously for sale

Abstract composition

Toon Kelder | Abstract composition, watercolour and gouache on paper, 44.1 x 34.9 cm, signed l.r. and dated '51

Toon Kelder

watercolour • drawing • previously for sale

Abstract composition

Toon Kelder | A reclining nude, gouache and pastel on paper, 54.1 x 65.7 cm, signed u.l.

Toon Kelder

watercolour • drawing • previously for sale

A reclining nude

Toon Kelder | A reclining nude, ink on paper, 30.2 x 45.4 cm, signed l.r.

Toon Kelder

watercolour • drawing • previously for sale

A reclining nude

Toon Kelder | Nude, ink on paper, 35.5 x 29.1 cm, signed l.r. and dated '47

Toon Kelder

watercolour • drawing • previously for sale

Nude

Toon Kelder | Reclining nude, chalk on paper, 27.0 x 41.6 cm, signed l.c.

Toon Kelder

watercolour • drawing • previously for sale

Reclining nude

Toon Kelder | Circus act, 47.9 x 67.5 cm, signed l.l.

Toon Kelder

painting • previously for sale

Circus act


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