Ruurd Elzer (1915-1995) - Hans van Mierlo

A fine portrait of one of the painters from the Groningen art circle De Ploeg. It depicts Hans van Mierlo, one of the founders of the political party D66. It is painted in oil on cardboard in the characteristic, fleeting and colorful painting style of the De Ploeg members.

The work is housed in a frame that shows some lacquer damage in a few spots, as the photos show.

Ruurd Elzer (1915-1995) – Painter and Poet of De Ploeg
Ruurd Elzer was a Dutch painter and poet, known for his membership of the Groningen art circle De Ploeg. He was born on 27 February 1915 in Sneek and died on 6 October 1995 in Groningen.
Early Life and Education
In 1927 Elzer moved with his family from Friesland to 't Zandt in Groningen.
After completing the hbs, where he took drawing lessons from Jan Derksen Staats, he pursued study at Academie Minerva in Groningen.
His teachers there included Willem Valk, A.W. Kort and C.P. de Wit.
On the recommendation of his classmates Evert Musch and Abe Kuipers, he took private lessons with Jan Altink, one of the founders of De Ploeg, who played an important role in his artistic development.
Career and Membership of De Ploeg
In 1938 Elzer held his first exhibition at the Ebbingehuis in Groningen. In 1941 he was granted provisional membership in De Ploeg, together with artists such as Siep Bouma and Jan Lucas van der Baan. A year later he became an official member and settled permanently in Groningen. Within De Ploeg, Elzer mainly focused on landscape painting and portraits. Initially he worked figuratively, but from the late sixties he shifted to abstract work.
Personal Life
In 1941 Elzer became engaged to Dieuwerke Grietje (Diete) Coolman, with whom he married in 1942. Hendrik Werkman, a fellow Ploeg member, designed their wedding invitation. Together they had, among others, a son, Sjoerd Elzer.
Later Years and Legacy
Elzer also reviewed the work of others for the Nieuwsblad van het Noorden in the 1960s. In 1980, on the occasion of his 65th birthday, an exhibition was held at Pictura. In that same year he relinquished his post as treasurer of De Ploeg and soon afterward resigned his membership. In 1994 the Centre for Visual Arts in Groningen began a search for his work for a retrospective exhibition, which took place in December 1995. Elzer did not live to see this exhibition; he died in October 1995 at the age of 80.
His work is still valued and can be found in various collections. Elzer is remembered as a versatile artist who worked in both figurative and abstract styles and made an important contribution to the Groningen art scene.