Anton Heyboer (1924-2005) - Man en Hond

This work by Anton Heyboer (1924–2005) shows a strongly simplified figurative composition, with a standing human figure on the left and a animal-like figure on the right. With loose, direct lines in blue, red, yellow and black, the forms are placed against the nearly unworked white field. The blue contour lines define the main shapes, while short, powerful color accents give the composition rhythm. The large open spaces between the figures emphasize the spontaneous, drawn quality. At the bottom there is a prominently executed signature.
Dimensions of the work: 65 × 95 cm. Including frame: 90 × 120 cm.


Artist biography
Anton Heyboer (Sabang, 1924 – Den Ilp, 2005) was a Dutch painter, draftsman and etcher. He spent his youth in various places, including Haarlem, Delft, Voorburg and Curaçao, and was initially trained as a mechanical engineer. During the Second World War he was sent to Germany as part of the Arbeitseinsatz; this period formed a traumatic chapter in his life. From the fifties onward he developed a strongly personal visual language of figures, animals, signs and symbols. His work was shown at Documenta II, III and 4 in Kassel and entered international museum collections. From the sixties he lived and worked in Den Ilp, where he later became known for his unconventional communal living arrangement with multiple women. His idiosyncratic way of life and his artistry were closely intertwined.