Elbert de Jong (1923-2009)

You can see the tears in Elbert’s eyes as he tells how he had to give up his passion for drawing because his mother found it wasn’t a real occupation. He worked until he was 65 at the social workshop. Then he worked at Herenplaats. 

An important part of the work of Elbert revolves around his everyday surroundings: the flowers on the windowsill, Miep the cat and other animals such as butterflies and birds, mice and dogs. Another important theme is religious images. The work is strikingly two-dimensional. Subjects are placed next to each other and provided with a clear contour. This way a quilt work emerges of subjects broken into hundreds of coloured surfaces. This work is often reminiscent of stained glass paintings or medieval miniature book illustrations.

Elbert died at the age of 86 on January 30th 2009. In his drawings Elbert still has a lot to tell us about the world around us.

Exhibitions

2002  Gallery Waai en Braai, Maarn

2002  “Cash & Carry”, Gallery Herenplaats, Rotterdam

2004  Outsider Art Show, Gallery Herenplaats, Rotterdam

2004  “Keuze uit eigen kunst” (the artists choice), Gallery Herenplaats, Rotterdam

2004  “Cash & Carry”, Gallery Herenplaats, Rotterdam

2006  Jubilee exhibition 15 years Herenplaats, Galerie Herenplaats, Rotterdam

2007  “My life in colour pencil”, solo exhibition De Hofstee, Rotterdam

2010  “Outsider Art Salon”, Galerie Herenplaats, Rotterdam

Artwork of Elbert is included in the Max E. Ammann collection, Switzerland