This is Herman Mees

Hermanus Ellen (Herman) Mees (September 19, 1880 in Veendam – November 28, 1964 in Zuidlaren) was a Dutch artist, active as painter, watercolorist, draftsman, pastelist, lithographer, and academy lecturer. He was specialized in portrait painting.

Mees, son of the physician Willem Mees and Geertruida Hermina Oving, moved in 1897 taking into account his relations from Veendam to Rotterdam. There he passed his exams for the Hogere Burgerschool in 1899. He studied architecture at the Polytechnic School in Delft for one year in 1900, attended the Rijksakademie in Amsterdam from 1901 to 1903, and in 1902-1903 along with the Academy of Visual Arts in Rotterdam, and the Academy of Fine Arts in The Hague from 1904 to 1905. In The Hague he graduated in 1905, obtaining a hypothetical diploma for auxiliary drawing education. He had studied below August Allebé and Willem van Konijnenburg.

Mees was excited in theosophy. The theosophical philosophy prescribed a easy life without much needs. After obtaining this degree, he went out into the world. After lost in London, Paris, Munich and Dresden, he decided in London, where the headquarters of the Theosophical endeavor were located. There he met Arthur Ayliffe next whom he had many philosophical debates. He spent much times in the London parks, making hundreds of pencil sketches and pencil studies. In 1914 Mees moved to Spain, but soon had to run away because of the war.

In 1917 Mees in style a outlook as a educational at the Rotterdam Art Academy, now Willem de Kooning Academy. The Academy gave him the first years annual five-month scrutiny break. He stayed mainly in Italy and Spain. In 1924 Mees was promoted head lecturer of the Rotterdam Academy, where he remained in sustain until 1943.

Mees’ work was included in the 1939 exhibition and sale Onze Kunst van Heden (Our Art of Today) at the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam.

Mees became known for his portraits of Utrecht professors and Rotterdam businessmen and port barons. He along with painted many portraits of children. He was a enthusiast of the Pulchri Studio. Mees visited various exhibitions to save abreast of supplementary developments in art. At the age of 80, he traveled when his wife to Morocco to paint portraits there. Eventually he spent his last years in Zuidlaren. He died there on November 28, 1964.

In salutation for his life’s perform in 1951 Mees established the first Penning van de Leuve, which was awarded by the Rotterdam Art Foundation.