Rensburg was a well-known figure in Amsterdam’s nightlife during the second and third decades of the twentieth century. He enjoyed moving in cultural circles and counted musicians, writers, actors, sculptors, and painters among his friends. Regarded as a highly intelligent yet eccentric man, he was nicknamed the “Jewish Grail seeker” and a “brilliant muddlehead,” but also simply “plain crazy”, due to his mystical ideas and naïve, utopian theories. The writer was also a welcome guest at Meerhuizen, the former country house on the Amstel where an artists’ colony had formed around 1915. Although critics were not particularly enthusiastic about his literary work, he gained admiration among young artists in Amsterdam between 1910 and 1925. Throughout his lifetime, Rensburg was portrayed an estimated twenty times by various artists, including Frans Hogerwaard (1882–1921), Harrie Kuyten (1883–1952), Jan van Herwijnen (1889–1965) and Dirk Smorenberg (1883–1960). His life and work form part of the diverse cultural and literary heritage of the Netherlands in the early twentieth century.
317 Karin Leyden (1906-1977) Self-portrait signed ‘Karin Leyden’ (upper right) oil on canvas, 68,5x51 cm
318 Ernst Leyden (1892-1969) Portrait of poet Jacques Karel Rensburg (1870-1943) oil on canvas, 90x80 cm
€800 - €1,200
€2,000 - €3,000
Exhibited: -Rotterdam, Kunsthal, ‘Karin & Ernst van Leyden: Een reizend kunstenaarspaar’, 16 October 1999-9 January 2000 (label attached to the frame). Literature: -Dick Adelaar, Matthijs Erdman, Jop Ubbens and Ragnar van Leyden, ‘Karin & Ernst van Leyden’, Haarlem 1999, ill. p. 67.
Exhibited: -Rotterdam, Kunsthal, ‘Karin & Ernst van Leyden’,
16 October 1999-9 January 2000 (label attached to the stretcher).
Literature: -Dick Adelaar, Matthijs Erdman, Jop Ubbens and Ragnar van Leyden, ‘Karin & Ernst van Leyden’, Haarlem 1999, ill. p. 77. Jacques Karel Rensburg was a Dutch-Jewish poet and writer. He made his literary debut in 1903 with the poetry collection Japanse verzen (“Japanese Verses”).
155
320 Lilly Klöker (1896-1936) Portrait of a man signed and dated ‘Lilly Kloeker/van Velde 28’ (lower centre) oil on canvas, 65,5x54 cm
319 Ernst Leyden (1892-1959)
Literature: -Dick Adelaar, Matthijs Erdman, Jop Ubbens and Ragnar van Leyden, ‘Karin & Ernst van Leyden’, Haarlem 1999, ill. p. 39. Leyden captured Edgar Tytgat at 55 years old. Tytgat was an artist known for his poetic, narrative style characterized by simplified forms and clear compositions. Tytgat and Leyden established a professional and personal friendship in the 1920s. The two exchanged letters and worked side by side during summer stays along the Belgian coast in Knokke.
Edgar Tytgat (1879-1957) behind his easel indistinctly signed (lower left); signed again, dated and annotated ‘Egard Tydgat 1934
Leyden’ (on the stretcher) oil on canvas, 72x60 cm
€800 - €1,200
€2,000 - €3,000
Lilly Klöker was the first wife of painter Bram van Velde (1895-1981), they met in 1922 in Worpswede and moved together to Paris in 1924, where they got married in 1928. By 1932 they moved to Mallorca. Klöker died shortly after the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War and van Velde returned to France
Exhibited: -Rotterdam, Kunsthal, ‘Karin & Ernst van Leyden’,
16 October 1999-9 January 2000 (label attached to the stretcher).
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