Jelle Taeke de Boer
Encyclopedia
Jelle Taeke de Boer was a Dutch
art collector born in Meppel
, Drenthe
. He grew up in a poor family, with his mother dying when he was four years old, and his father an alcoholic.
During the depression of the 1930s, Jelle was having trouble raising a family, yet found motivation in Vincent van Gogh
as a role model. He eventually became nearly obsessed with him, collecting literature and eventually anything attributed to him. His mission in life was to find the nearly 800 pieces that could be traced back to Van Gogh. He quickly became an expert on the subject of the painter.
During their lives, famous impressionists like Vincent van Gogh
, Manet
, Monet and Cezanne, were ostracized and many times had to trade their artworks for some food or a night’s lodging. In this way many pieces have seemed to be lost forever. In the case of Van Gogh, perhaps even hundreds.
By 1960 Jelle de Boer accumulated nearly 400 works, 100 of which he attributed to Van Gogh. A close friend recommended that he open his gallery to the public. On June 11, 1966, he opened the doors to what he called the "Galerie d'Art" in Amsterdam
. Visitors had to buy the catalogue, with illustrations of 57 exhibits.
From that exposition JD Fogarty, an American lawyer, bought four paintings which were proven to be authentic master pieces. “The Bacchanale” from Puvis de Chavannes, “Dans le Foret” from Monticelli
, “L’Homme a Table” from Toulouse-Lautrec and finally the top piece, the “Infanta Margarita” from Manet
. Mr. Fogarty has since spent 35 years to have these examined and authenticated as the priceless copy made by Edouard Manet
. In December 2003, the international acknowledgement of the Infanta painting was again substantiated by an article in the Journal of the American Institute for Art Restoration and Preservation.
, Switzerland
. The Swiss art establishment filed a complaint on suspicion of fraud. After several weeks of headlines and television reports, the police decided to confiscate the entire collection. Hofgalerie's owner Anton Achermann was arrested and put in jail – in solitary confinement. All works were removed in order to be destroyed as fakes. Jelle de Boer was never allowed to see his collection again and he died of a heart attack
in 1970, 62 years of age. Anton Achermann’s business and his name had been ruined by his confinement, and he decided to spend the rest of his life fighting against injustice. Achermann succeeded in releasing approximately 180 works. 21 works were to remain in the Palace of Justice till June 2002.
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
art collector born in Meppel
Meppel
Meppel is a municipality and a city in the northeast of the Netherlands, in the south-west of the province Drenthe.It developed in the 16th century as a transport and distribution inland harbour for turf...
, Drenthe
Drenthe
Drenthe is a province of the Netherlands, located in the north-east of the country. The capital city is Assen. It is bordered by Overijssel to the south, Friesland to the west, Groningen to the north, and Germany to the east.-History:Drenthe, unlike many other parts of the Netherlands, has been a...
. He grew up in a poor family, with his mother dying when he was four years old, and his father an alcoholic.
During the depression of the 1930s, Jelle was having trouble raising a family, yet found motivation in Vincent van Gogh
Vincent van Gogh
Vincent Willem van Gogh , and used Brabant dialect in his writing; it is therefore likely that he himself pronounced his name with a Brabant accent: , with a voiced V and palatalized G and gh. In France, where much of his work was produced, it is...
as a role model. He eventually became nearly obsessed with him, collecting literature and eventually anything attributed to him. His mission in life was to find the nearly 800 pieces that could be traced back to Van Gogh. He quickly became an expert on the subject of the painter.
Authenticity
Vincent van Gogh
Vincent Willem van Gogh , and used Brabant dialect in his writing; it is therefore likely that he himself pronounced his name with a Brabant accent: , with a voiced V and palatalized G and gh. In France, where much of his work was produced, it is...
, Manet
Manet
-MANET as an abbreviation:*MANET is a mobile ad hoc network, a self-configuring mobile wireless network.*MANET database or Molecular Ancestry Network, bioinformatics database-People with the surname Manet:*Édouard Manet, a 19th-century French painter....
, Monet and Cezanne, were ostracized and many times had to trade their artworks for some food or a night’s lodging. In this way many pieces have seemed to be lost forever. In the case of Van Gogh, perhaps even hundreds.
By 1960 Jelle de Boer accumulated nearly 400 works, 100 of which he attributed to Van Gogh. A close friend recommended that he open his gallery to the public. On June 11, 1966, he opened the doors to what he called the "Galerie d'Art" in Amsterdam
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
. Visitors had to buy the catalogue, with illustrations of 57 exhibits.
From that exposition JD Fogarty, an American lawyer, bought four paintings which were proven to be authentic master pieces. “The Bacchanale” from Puvis de Chavannes, “Dans le Foret” from Monticelli
Monticelli
Monticelli is a small village, a frazione of the comune of Teramo in the Abruzzo region of Italy. It has previously been called Monticulo and Monticello.-History:The origins of Monticelli date back to at least the 10th century...
, “L’Homme a Table” from Toulouse-Lautrec and finally the top piece, the “Infanta Margarita” from Manet
Manet
-MANET as an abbreviation:*MANET is a mobile ad hoc network, a self-configuring mobile wireless network.*MANET database or Molecular Ancestry Network, bioinformatics database-People with the surname Manet:*Édouard Manet, a 19th-century French painter....
. Mr. Fogarty has since spent 35 years to have these examined and authenticated as the priceless copy made by Edouard Manet
Édouard Manet
Édouard Manet was a French painter. One of the first 19th-century artists to approach modern-life subjects, he was a pivotal figure in the transition from Realism to Impressionism....
. In December 2003, the international acknowledgement of the Infanta painting was again substantiated by an article in the Journal of the American Institute for Art Restoration and Preservation.
Swiss confiscation
In July 1967, Jelle de Boer showed 200 of his best works in the Hofgalerie in LucerneLucerne
Lucerne is a city in north-central Switzerland, in the German-speaking portion of that country. Lucerne is the capital of the Canton of Lucerne and the capital of the district of the same name. With a population of about 76,200 people, Lucerne is the most populous city in Central Switzerland, and...
, Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
. The Swiss art establishment filed a complaint on suspicion of fraud. After several weeks of headlines and television reports, the police decided to confiscate the entire collection. Hofgalerie's owner Anton Achermann was arrested and put in jail – in solitary confinement. All works were removed in order to be destroyed as fakes. Jelle de Boer was never allowed to see his collection again and he died of a heart attack
Myocardial infarction
Myocardial infarction or acute myocardial infarction , commonly known as a heart attack, results from the interruption of blood supply to a part of the heart, causing heart cells to die...
in 1970, 62 years of age. Anton Achermann’s business and his name had been ruined by his confinement, and he decided to spend the rest of his life fighting against injustice. Achermann succeeded in releasing approximately 180 works. 21 works were to remain in the Palace of Justice till June 2002.
External links
- Official Home Page, at present not more than a front-page without further information
- Documentary-film on Jelle Taeke de Boer