Leo Jansen
Encyclopedia
Leo Jansen was a Dutch artist known for his portrait
s.
Born in Holland, moved to Indonesia
when he was ten. There in the tropics, he began his craft by sketching bronze-skinned Indonesian girls for leisure. He returned to the Netherlands to study at the Academy of Art
, to refine his growing mastery of the female figures. Like most continental artists, he gravitated first to Paris
and quickly established himself as a portraitist of considerable talent. In 1962, he arrived in New York
. Because of the softness and light he infused his portraits, he was chosen by several companies to do commemorative plates. Jansen is, perhaps, best known throughout the United States and Europe for his mother's day plates and puppies plate series.
Many of the rich and famous (such as Raquel Welch, Willian Holden, Donald Sutherland, Stephanie Powers, and the LA Times Hearst family. ) sought out Jansen for his portraiture skills, Jansen's sitting fee in the 1960 was US$
20,000. In addition, he also gained fame for his portraiture of The Beatles
and The Rolling Stones
. His Beatles portraits are among the more collectible memmorabilia by fans. He was in great demand in the Los Angeles
galleries, but sold primarily through Aaron Brothers.
But despite his national reputation as a portrait artist, he refused many of those demand and resumed his childhood love affair of painting nudes. He then moved to Southern California. For eighteen years, he was commissioned by Playboy Magazine to paint the playmate of the month. In his first six years, he was the artist chosen to paint 58 of the 72 portraits. His works hang in the Hugh Hefner
's Playboy corporate headquarters and in the mansion. Rank among the nation's best interpretive artist of nudes, Jansen's canvases hang in collection of a wide range of notables from Jean-Claude Pascal
to the late Judy Garland
.
He died from an apparent heart attack in 1980 at 50 years of age.
Portrait
thumb|250px|right|Portrait of [[Thomas Jefferson]] by [[Rembrandt Peale]], 1805. [[New-York Historical Society]].A portrait is a painting, photograph, sculpture, or other artistic representation of a person, in which the face and its expression is predominant. The intent is to display the likeness,...
s.
Born in Holland, moved to Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
when he was ten. There in the tropics, he began his craft by sketching bronze-skinned Indonesian girls for leisure. He returned to the Netherlands to study at the Academy of Art
Royal Academy of Art (The Hague)
The Royal Academy of Art, The Hague is an art academy in the Netherlands. It is the oldest art academy in Europe. Known in Dutch as "Koninklijke Academie van Beeldende Kunsten, Den Haag" it was founded on 29 September 1682 when its predecessor, the Haagsche Teekenakademie was dissolved.- External...
, to refine his growing mastery of the female figures. Like most continental artists, he gravitated first to Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
and quickly established himself as a portraitist of considerable talent. In 1962, he arrived in New York
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. Because of the softness and light he infused his portraits, he was chosen by several companies to do commemorative plates. Jansen is, perhaps, best known throughout the United States and Europe for his mother's day plates and puppies plate series.
Many of the rich and famous (such as Raquel Welch, Willian Holden, Donald Sutherland, Stephanie Powers, and the LA Times Hearst family. ) sought out Jansen for his portraiture skills, Jansen's sitting fee in the 1960 was US$
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
20,000. In addition, he also gained fame for his portraiture of The Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
and The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones are an English rock band, formed in London in April 1962 by Brian Jones , Ian Stewart , Mick Jagger , and Keith Richards . Bassist Bill Wyman and drummer Charlie Watts completed the early line-up...
. His Beatles portraits are among the more collectible memmorabilia by fans. He was in great demand in the Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
galleries, but sold primarily through Aaron Brothers.
But despite his national reputation as a portrait artist, he refused many of those demand and resumed his childhood love affair of painting nudes. He then moved to Southern California. For eighteen years, he was commissioned by Playboy Magazine to paint the playmate of the month. In his first six years, he was the artist chosen to paint 58 of the 72 portraits. His works hang in the Hugh Hefner
Hugh Hefner
Hugh Marston "Hef" Hefner is an American magazine publisher, founder and Chief Creative Officer of Playboy Enterprises.-Early life:...
's Playboy corporate headquarters and in the mansion. Rank among the nation's best interpretive artist of nudes, Jansen's canvases hang in collection of a wide range of notables from Jean-Claude Pascal
Jean-Claude Pascal
Jean-Claude Pascal was a French comedian and singer.After surviving the Second World War in Straßburg, Pascal first studied at the Sorbonne-university and then turned to fashion-designing for Christian Dior...
to the late Judy Garland
Judy Garland
Judy Garland was an American actress and singer. Through a career that spanned 45 of her 47 years and for her renowned contralto voice, she attained international stardom as an actress in musical and dramatic roles, as a recording artist and on the concert stage...
.
He died from an apparent heart attack in 1980 at 50 years of age.