THE LATE VAN DER VELDEN

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1905, 13 November 1913, Page 7

THE LATE VAN DER VELDEN

A GREAT ARTIST. The death was ' reported yesterday from Ane.ldai.ul of Mynheer Petals Van dec Veliieu, probably the greatest artist who has ever made Now Zealand his home. His life has been a ennouar one; Ho earne to New Zealand inany years . ago tor what reason no one ever scented to know—ju.?t at the timo when his talent was beginning to bo recognised JU his native Holland, and for many years practically led tho life, of a recluse, occasionally turning out a. picture but never stooping to tho art of the pot-boiler." His work was ripe with an almost faultless technique, full of strength and virility, and' .clean -away front anything in the way of cheap .<?* foots, \im der Veld-en, though never blessed.with much of this world's goods, always painted to please himself—to gratify his artist ms:itl, and though repeatedly urged to, paint quick-sellers, could not and would not consent to do so. To those who-knew him he ivas a personality. His lines of thought lay beneath "tho surface and tho show,;' and yet he had a wit that was richly entertaining. Ho lived out- of tho times, and to a great extent within himself.

Mr._ .F. W. Colloy, tho English artist awl picture, restorer, vo.iped an appreciation of tilts artiiife (who.,' by the way, lived at Seatouji for some years) to a DasiistoN reporter in March last. "Van der Vclden. is a great artist," snid Mr. Colloy.. "There is no doubt about that. Had hn lived and moved it s , t'ho right environment the world would have beoii flinch enriched ill art, )>.ut, sad to say, lie had had domestic troubles to handicap h.ira, and what' was most unfortunate, he had come to New •Zealand, and left that environment that Would have fostered' his genius just at tho t.ifno When life was opening out for him—in the prime of his ai'tistio and same to a country that was :raw and green—to an atmosphere entirely removed from tho soul-awakening influences of the Old Land, which are as nifiat and drink to the artistic mind; Hut even, so, Van der Vclden had turned out some very fine stuff, b«t it.cither in Australia nor New Zealand did thev know how to value it. What should have been done, though it is too late now, was for the Government to llavo given him a decent living salary—he wanted and wants nothing Kayo lectured on Art at the different art and technical schools, and 'inject' the correct idea- of art into t'ho students. If that lmd bam done whan Van del--Vclden eama to New Zealand, Now Zetland might have produced somo good painters before this." ■ "I don't know whether you know it," continued Mr. - Galley, "but Van dor \ olden made this offer in Clifistchurch, and in addition promised to paint three or four pictures a year, which alono would hay® brought more than his salary. : Bijt no, they didn't understand the man. Nearly every man of .genius has his injosyncrasies. Take Rembrandt, Murillo, and other great artists ~ take, tho great musicians. Van der •YoMou is the most, modest man on earth. Ho does not want money—does not value money. All he cares about is that there be enough to fill tho pot and keep it boiling. Other than that he. says himself—'Let- mo paint, and don't worry me!' And given that ho would havo been as happy as a king. But To. he has had worries and troubles that he should never have boon sub- ■ jeeted to, and under these conditions ho . could not turn out the work his genius was ca.pablo of evolving) Ho was.jiow '! given tho chance to dream, and it is c-ijt of dreams that all great work, artistically, Ija.g been done.

"People do Hot know ivliat Van dcr Velden was. He was a contemporary l student in Holland with Joseph Israel, ! Anton Mauve, and others, and was considered thoir e<jual, if ii'fit superior. l'Aiiithi&s : by tlioso artists bring thousands of pounds when at raro intervals they reach tb.o market. On o.uo occasion, wiieii Israel was president of Tlio ijagvio Gallery, and o.no of liis own pictuies liad been given the jslseo of honour on tlio line, Van dor Veld'oil sent m late his 'Old Man and 'Gello.' As soon as Israel saw it, ho ordered his owft picture down, and gave its place to Van (Wr Vcldeii's. That pictur<> still adorns the walls of The Hague Gallery—ono of the highest honours aii artist can . enjoy. With it he won tho King of Holland's Scholarship arid gold modal. Another groat picture is liig 'Dutch Funeral,' now in the possession of Mr, Van Asoho, of Sumner, Curislchureb. There, is superb technique and a depth and sympathy in the picturo which. jirust at ciieo eompol the admiration of anyone vvlio knows anything of art. Tlio stuff van linns iii your gallery i.s .tho .fci'iid of art thiit is always obtainable, but thorn are few Van dcr Voldens in tlio World."