Johan Aarts Biography

Johannes Josephus Aarts (1871-1934) was a Dutch painter, illustrator, lithographer, engraver, etcher, writer, academic teacher and director, lecturer, sculptor and book-cover designer.

Jan Aarts was born in The Hague on 18th August 1871, where he trained at the Royal Academy of Art. He was active there until 1911, and in Amsterdam from 1911 to 1934. Initially, until around 1900, Aarts worked above all on engravings. Thereafter, he began to also use other graphic methods. In his work, he depicted farmworkers, dyke workers and later also tramps, beggars and invalids. Between 1920 and 1930 he produced mostly visionary work with apocalyptic scenes. 

Aarts often wrote for the Hague newspaper Het Vaderland; he taught at the Arts Academy in The Hague and was later a professor at the Royal Academy in Amsterdam, as successor to Pieter Dupont; he produced sculptures as preliminary studies for his graphic work. He contributed to the renewal of various graphic techniques in the Netherlands. He painted portraits, animals, and landscapes, including cityscapes and dune landscapes.

He died in Amsterdam on 19th October 1934.