Charley Toorop Quotes

I don't believe you can really give yourself to a man, you can sympathize with him, if you have your own strong creative life, which brings your own philosophy of life.

I have an idea - that still-life with the two bouquets I still have here.. .It will fit in your home perfectly - and I would really like to see it hanging there myself.. .You don't have to pay it at once if that doesn't suit you now. Then pay me in 2 times 100 for example,. in the beginning of next year?. .You will be happy with it - ànd - the painting is in the right place.. (translation from original Dutch: Fons Heijnsbroek)

(original Dutch: citaat van Charley Toorop's brief, in het Nederlands:) Later, toen F. [Henk Fernhout, haar vroegere man, tot c. 1916-17; hij was alcoholicus] meer en meer uit huis was, meer en meer geschilderd, m'n eigen apart leven – behoud ook van mijn zenuewen (die overigens al lang kapot waren).

(original Dutch: uit Charley Toorop's brief, in het Nederlands:) Wanhopige pogingen gedaan 3 weken gewerkt aan een zelfportret [in Parijs] voor u bestemd doek, heb alles gisteren finaal afgekrabt! Misschien kan ik 't in het atelier [wat ze ging krijgen op de Rue des Plantes in Parijs] weer ophalen.

.Now nicely going on to work [painting] and much more free, and in particular more flowing. I hope to grow away from that rigid stuff. (translation from original Dutch: Fons Heijnsbroek)

Later, when F. [Henk Fernhout, her former husband, until c. 1916-17; he was an alcoholic] was more and more from home, I painted more and more, [I built] my own individual life - also saving my nerves (which were broken for a long time already). (translation from original Dutch: Fons Heijnsbroek)

(original Dutch: citaat van Charley Toorop:) Ik heb ze aan het kruis genageld.

Vincent van Gogh was already there for me even before I started painting myself, actually during the time I became aware. It was the first dispute with my father [ Jan Toorop ] who saw it so differently, for me he was the breakthrough to a new world. It is always a real event to see his work.. (translation from original Dutch: Fons Heijnsbroek)

.. What I made here up to now [Paris, 1920] is not very special. Only a painting of my head and Eddy [her son Edgar] with it - including houses and roofs on the background - has something of what I intend to.. ..but one thing I know now for sure. That I was shocked by the [her own] paintings I received here from Holland, for example the old man I painted. It is perhaps the best thing I ever made, but what a distress all together. I want everything gradually becoming more clear. And I want to make happy, radiant things at any cost. I mean inwardly radiant and tight and silent. I really believe this will come.. .Back home again I shall study and start from the bottom again; very simple things - study flowers, hands and people's faces and learn how to paint and draw well. (translation from original Dutch: Fons Heijnsbroek)

Made desperate attempts - worked for 3 weeks on a self-portrait [in Paris] intended for you, have scratched off everything yesterday! Maybe I can go on with it again in the studio [she was would get on the Rue des Plantes in Paris]. (translation from original Dutch: Fons Heijnsbroek)

I managed to work two mornings on Eddy's portrait in the large painting 'Three Generations' and I could go on working each morning for 1 1/2 hour., so there is some progress [after her attacks].. ..they [her son Edgar Fernhout and his wife] come now every month for a stay of a few days [in her house De Vlerken, in Bergen], for I hope to finish the painting at the end of the year, so I can exhibit it at my large retrospective exhibition. (translation from original Dutch: Fons Heijnsbroek)

(original Dutch: citaat van Charley Toorop's brief, in het Nederlands:) Weet je nog hoe mooi 't was en die malle en die malle Buddha-houdingen pal-midden op 't strand [of Domburg, Zeeland, in 1906]

..you could call [the two artists Mondrian and Bart van der Leck ] absolute counterparts. Outwardly they are of course both abstract, of course, but I hate such a view on their art. I find it superficial to consider them like that from the very start. Their life and character is also completely different. Van der Leck lives as a peasant and lives a domestic life. Either one is abstract in his soul, or he isn't. Van der Leck is a real realist. Mondrian has always been away from the world, he is a romantic ascetic, a sophisticated monk. Van der Leck is really nice (Dutch: fijn), but he is certainly not sophisticated (Dutch: verfijnd)..

(original Dutch: citaat uit Charley Toorop's brief, in het Nederlands:) ik heb 2 ochtenden aan Eddy's [=Edgar] portret kunnen werken op het grote schilderij 'Drie Generaties' en heb elke morgen 1 1/2 uur vol kunnen houden., er is dus wel vooruitgang [na haar attack].. ..ze [= haar zoon en zijn vrouw] komen nu iedere maand daarvoor een paar dagen hier [De Vlerken, in Bergen] logeren, want ik hoop eind van het jaar met het schilderij klaar te zijn [begonnen in 1941], om het te kunnen exposeren op mijn grote overzichtstentoonstelling.

(original Dutch: uit Charley Toorop's brief, in het Nederlands:) Misschien weet je toch van de feiten ik bedoel, levensgeschiedenis [van Charley zelf] te weinig af. Misschien kan je alles wel voldoende uit 't werk lezen maar.. ..misschien zou het wel goed zijn als ik eens 'n avond bij je kwam, of jij, of jullie eens 'n dag of 2 dagen hier bij [in .