Petrus Van der Velden
Encyclopedia
Petrus van der Velden who is also known as Paulus van der Velden was a New Zealand
artist of Dutch
descent. Van der Velden was born in Rotterdam
, the Netherlands
and died in Auckland
, New Zealand, 11 Nov 1913. Much of his career was spent in Christchurch
, New Zealand
.
Originally he trained as a lithographer and ran a lithographic printing works in Rotterdam circa 1858–67, and then went on to study at the academies in Rotterdam and Berlin. He registered at the Academy of Art, Rotterdam
in 1868. After a stay on the island of Marken (1871–3) he lived in or near The Hague until 1888 and was part of the Hague School in artistic and stylistic origins. During this period he painted mainly genre scenes such as The Dutch Funeral (1872; Christchurch, NZ, McDougall A.G.) and the Old Cellist (1887; The Hague, Gemeentemus.); he also produced some landscapes, for example Snow on the Sand Dunes (1889–90; Wellington, Mus. NZ, Te Papa Tongarewa). His work of this period displays a tension between Naturalism and Romantic Realism in the style of Jozef Israëls
.
In 1890, also the year in which van Gogh died, van der Velden emigrated to New Zealand with his wife and children (one daughter and two sons), aged 53. He arrived in Christchurch, where he stayed until 1898. It was during the 1890s that van der Velden discovered Otira Gorge on the West Coast, which provided him with his most successful and enduring subject, one that contributed to the revolution of New Zealand painting. The first trip took place in 1891 and the product was Waterfall in the Otira (aka Mountain Stream) (1891; Dunedin, NZ, Pub. A.G.). Local legend has it that when van der Velden visited Otira he patiently waited for the weather's most dramatic moments. Only when thunder, rain and wind were in full chaotic swing would he race up to the Gorge with paints in hand; when sun and calm prevailed he would sleep on the grass in front of the Otira hotel. The recognition of this work and van der Velden's accomplishments is evident when he exhibited with the Otago Art Society in 1892. His Waterfall was judged "by an almost unanimous verdict....the great feature of this year's exhibition."
By 1894 van der Velden had taken on students, among whom were Sydney Lough Thompson
, Robert Procter, Cecil Kelly, Elizabeth Kelly
, Leonard Booth, and Raymond McIntyre. His teaching method placed emphasis on acquiring an intimate acquaintance with the subject by doing a great many drawings and studies. In 1897 he left New Zealand taking his family to Sydney
in April. In a letter written before their departure he is very bitter, talking of his "financial strife in Durham Street" and terming New Zealand the " land of liars". Van der Velden stayed in Australia
for five years during which time his wife Sophia died (1 May 1899) and his daughter Riek had to return to New Zealand for her health in 1900. The next year van der Velden suffered from a "rupture of a blood vessel of the stomach" and was in a convalescent home. A letter from his son Willem records van der Velden's time in Australia so far: "An account of our trials and struggles for existence in the 'Sunny New South Wales' would seem incredible. And evidence is not wanting pointing to the existence of a plot to keep my Father down and crush him out of Sydney. So far it has been very successful." It seems that van der Velden had failed to find the patronage he sought and the other artists, themselves struggling, resented the appearance of this new intruder.
Sometime late 1903 or early 1904 he returned to Wellington
, bringing with him a young Australian woman, Australia Wahlberg, whom he married at the Wellington Registry office on 4 February 1904. A son Noel Van der Velden was born in 1906 but died aged 24 days and a daughter named Melba Van der Velden was born in 1909. Van der Velden initially settled in Wellington, but planned to move to Auckland, where he died of a heart attack in 1913.
Many of his works are in public galleries in New Zealand and the Netherlands.
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
artist of Dutch
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
descent. Van der Velden was born in Rotterdam
Rotterdam
Rotterdam is the second-largest city in the Netherlands and one of the largest ports in the world. Starting as a dam on the Rotte river, Rotterdam has grown into a major international commercial centre...
, the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
and died in Auckland
Auckland
The Auckland metropolitan area , in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country with residents, percent of the country's population. Auckland also has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world...
, New Zealand, 11 Nov 1913. Much of his career was spent in Christchurch
Christchurch
Christchurch is the largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the country's second-largest urban area after Auckland. It lies one third of the way down the South Island's east coast, just north of Banks Peninsula which itself, since 2006, lies within the formal limits of...
, New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
.
Originally he trained as a lithographer and ran a lithographic printing works in Rotterdam circa 1858–67, and then went on to study at the academies in Rotterdam and Berlin. He registered at the Academy of Art, Rotterdam
Willem de Kooning Academy
The Willem de Kooning Academy is a Dutch Academy of art and design based in Rotterdam and named in memory of the famous Dutch artist Willem de Kooning.- Overview :...
in 1868. After a stay on the island of Marken (1871–3) he lived in or near The Hague until 1888 and was part of the Hague School in artistic and stylistic origins. During this period he painted mainly genre scenes such as The Dutch Funeral (1872; Christchurch, NZ, McDougall A.G.) and the Old Cellist (1887; The Hague, Gemeentemus.); he also produced some landscapes, for example Snow on the Sand Dunes (1889–90; Wellington, Mus. NZ, Te Papa Tongarewa). His work of this period displays a tension between Naturalism and Romantic Realism in the style of Jozef Israëls
Jozef Israëls
Jozef Israëls was a Dutch painter, and "the most respected Dutch artist of the second half of the nineteenth century".-Youth:...
.
In 1890, also the year in which van Gogh died, van der Velden emigrated to New Zealand with his wife and children (one daughter and two sons), aged 53. He arrived in Christchurch, where he stayed until 1898. It was during the 1890s that van der Velden discovered Otira Gorge on the West Coast, which provided him with his most successful and enduring subject, one that contributed to the revolution of New Zealand painting. The first trip took place in 1891 and the product was Waterfall in the Otira (aka Mountain Stream) (1891; Dunedin, NZ, Pub. A.G.). Local legend has it that when van der Velden visited Otira he patiently waited for the weather's most dramatic moments. Only when thunder, rain and wind were in full chaotic swing would he race up to the Gorge with paints in hand; when sun and calm prevailed he would sleep on the grass in front of the Otira hotel. The recognition of this work and van der Velden's accomplishments is evident when he exhibited with the Otago Art Society in 1892. His Waterfall was judged "by an almost unanimous verdict....the great feature of this year's exhibition."
By 1894 van der Velden had taken on students, among whom were Sydney Lough Thompson
Sydney Lough Thompson
Sydney Lough Thompson was a New Zealand artist.-Family:Sydney Lough Thompson was born in Oxford, Canterbury, New Zealand. He had eight siblings - five brothers and three sisters. His father had come to New Zealand as a young man and ran a general store in Oxford before becoming a sheep farmer...
, Robert Procter, Cecil Kelly, Elizabeth Kelly
Elizabeth Kelly
Elizabeth Kelly is a British actress.She started acting on television in the early 1970s...
, Leonard Booth, and Raymond McIntyre. His teaching method placed emphasis on acquiring an intimate acquaintance with the subject by doing a great many drawings and studies. In 1897 he left New Zealand taking his family to Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
in April. In a letter written before their departure he is very bitter, talking of his "financial strife in Durham Street" and terming New Zealand the " land of liars". Van der Velden stayed in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
for five years during which time his wife Sophia died (1 May 1899) and his daughter Riek had to return to New Zealand for her health in 1900. The next year van der Velden suffered from a "rupture of a blood vessel of the stomach" and was in a convalescent home. A letter from his son Willem records van der Velden's time in Australia so far: "An account of our trials and struggles for existence in the 'Sunny New South Wales' would seem incredible. And evidence is not wanting pointing to the existence of a plot to keep my Father down and crush him out of Sydney. So far it has been very successful." It seems that van der Velden had failed to find the patronage he sought and the other artists, themselves struggling, resented the appearance of this new intruder.
Sometime late 1903 or early 1904 he returned to Wellington
Wellington
Wellington is the capital city and third most populous urban area of New Zealand, although it is likely to have surpassed Christchurch due to the exodus following the Canterbury Earthquake. It is at the southwestern tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Rimutaka Range...
, bringing with him a young Australian woman, Australia Wahlberg, whom he married at the Wellington Registry office on 4 February 1904. A son Noel Van der Velden was born in 1906 but died aged 24 days and a daughter named Melba Van der Velden was born in 1909. Van der Velden initially settled in Wellington, but planned to move to Auckland, where he died of a heart attack in 1913.
Many of his works are in public galleries in New Zealand and the Netherlands.