In the time the PC. Hooftstraat in Amsterdam was not a fashion street, but an ordinary city street with a butcher, a grocery, baker, vegetables shop and even a garage. In those days there were some galleries who held residence in the P.C. Hooftstraat,. Among them there was gallery IKON, which presented religious icons and yes, i was the shopkeeper …it was one of my first jobs in the art world. At one day Carel Willink passed by , returned and entered the gallery. Hat, walking stick, bow tie . He really looked like a bohemian. Now almost 35 years later i still remember the person, but as an artist i lost interest. His technique is phenomenal, but in the last years of his life he only took consignments and made portraits for famous dutch people. One exception… . The (nude) portrait he made of his wife Sylvia is exceptionally beautiful.
www.ftn-books.com has some nice catalogues on Carel Willink
