Jac. J Koeman and the Artis Zoo Aquarium

Jacobus Jan Koeman
(Edam 1889- Bergen 1978)

Landscape and flower painter, watercolor, grafic and ceramic artist, sculptor.

Jac. Koeman attended the Kunstnijverheids (Arts and Craft) school in Amsterdam and worked in Paris and London. He is in the Netherlands most famous because of his wonderful and unforgettable illustrations of many Verkade albums (see posting of September 20th or use the Blogs search options above). Making him a colleague of father and son Jan Voerman.


His paintings, lithographs, pastels and watercolors pictures of tropical fish are unequalled but by maybe one artist in the world: Gerrit Dijsselhof (1866-1924). These artistic renderings and compositions far more capable of catching and transferring the atmosphere then (even modern) photography can ever hope to achieve. When I saw Koemans school of fish as a child there was no way stopping me wanting to create such a wonderful and mystic world for myself. And I did.

Dozens of these little jewels litter the pages of the Aquarium Volume of 1925.

Both artists found inspiration in the beginning of the 20th century world famous Artis Aquarium (Amsterdam Zoo). It is still a wonderful place to be. When ever I visit a city I just have to pay a visit the local Zoo Aquarium.

1930's pastel by P. Zwart, an unknown artist.

Moonfish, 1930's pastel by Alb. Schram an also very obscured artist but with lots of talent.

I cannot resist these terribly out of fashion pastels, I love them every day I see them even more.

Jac J. Koeman will return in postings to come since I plan showing more examples of the wonderful Verkade Album Art (1905-1940), hardly known outside the Netherlands.

Postings on Gerard Dijsselhof (1866-1924) are in preparation and will follow soon.

Please let me know what you think of this and other postings by leaving a comment.