Poen de Wijs

Family of Man - 21st Century Contemporary Acrylic Portrait by Dutch Poen de Wijs

2000

Poen de Wijs was born on January 23, 1948, in Nijmegen. He was a Dutch painter. His style is characterized as realism. He studied at the Royal Academy of Art in The Hague, from 1966–71. He lived and worked in The Hague. Poen de Wijs has never restricted himself to the same painting technique, or shunned experimenting, on the contrary, he constantly experimented and discovered new techniques, possibilities and applications. He has studied and practiced old painting techniques to integrate them into new possibilities. His realistic style has evolved through the changes in the application of painting materials. In 1999, Poen de Wijs stopped using oil paint and switched to acrylic. A new development in his work is the use of metallic paints in acrylic. He applies layers of gold, silver or copper paint over part of the underpainting. A spectator sees two completely different representations, depending on the angle in which one views the artwork. This metallic effect gives an almost three-dimensional effect. Books, documentaries and articles have been published about Poen de Wijs, about his works and also about his various painting techniques. In the course of his career, art critics had very different views on his work, but all agreed on its technical quality. Another theme that keeps recurring in Poen de Wijs's work is children from various cultures, was “Kinderspel” in 2011. He was appointed Knight in the Order of Oranje-Nassau on January 13, 2013. During the last phase of his life, Poen de Wijs was seriously ill and saw his end approaching. He wrote a text about this, “Some of you know that I am sick, many do not. The end is coming, I am at peace with it. I have painted over 900 works, and I leave many drawings and lithographs. These are going around the world. Different people will get help with this. Many of the students that I have been able to train over the years go their own way. I had wonderful contacts with fellow artists from all disciplines. I was never short of enthusiasts and admirers of my work. Family and friends have always been dear to me. I have shared a lot with them. Last but not least, my dear wife Marleen Looijen and her daughter Sarah continue without me. Fortunately, they remain well cared for. And that gives me the peace to let go of this life”. Poen de Wijs died on August 25, 2014, in The Hague.