Late Visitors to Pompeii

Carel Willink (in 1931)

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Lisa asked

Is it possible the figure in the foreground with hands folded is Jan Willink, Carel Willink's brother? Are there any photographs or portraits of Jan?
Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen answered

Dear Lisa, Last year Silvia Willink, Carel's last wife, explained something about the people portrayed in this painting. The figure on the left, looking over his shoulder, is as you probably already understood Carel Willink himself. The bald man on the back is Oswald Spengler, which Willlink admired. The other three persons are also all self-portraits, but in different stages of life, young man, middle age and old man. So it's not a strange thought from you at all and maybe he took his brother as a comparison to his younger self. Kind regards, Sofie
Lucas Slot asked

Ik ben van plan een print van dit schilderij (late visitors to Pompeii) in te lijsten. Is het mogelijk een afbeelding in hoge resolutie op te sturen? (of direct bij jullie zo'n print te kopen)

Groeten,
Lucas
Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen answered

Beste Lucas, op dit moment wordt ons museumgebouw gerenoveerd en het publiek toegankelijke depot gaat pas in het najaar open. Daarom kunnen wij geen reproducties aanbieden. Voor afbeeldingen van werken uit de collectie kun je contact opnemen met images@boijmans.nl. Hartelijke groet, Els.

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This painting was acquired by the museum just two years after it was completed. This shows that Willink was recognised as an important artist very quickly. In comparison with his later illusionistic virtuosity, this painting is fairly crude. However, the alienating effect is very successful. Willink has depicted himself on the left, turning to face the viewer.

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Specifications

Title	Late Visitors to Pompeii
Material and technique	Oil on canvas
Object type	Painting > Painting > Two-dimensional object > Art object
Location	This object is travelling

Dimensions	Width 142 cm Height 92 cm
Artists	Kunstenaar: Carel Willink
Accession number	2005 (MK)
Credits	Schenking / Donation: Academiefonds 1933
Department	Modern Art
Acquisition date	1933
Age artist	About 31 years old
Entitled parties	© Mrs. Sylvia Willink, c/o Pictoright Amsterdam 2018
Material	Canvas > Worked fibres > Fibre > Vegetable material > Organic material > Material > Material and technique Oil > Paint > Artist's material > Material > Material and technique
Object	Painting > Painting > Two-dimensional object > Art object
Geographical origin	The Netherlands > Western Europe > Europe
Place of manufacture	Amsterdam > North Holland > The Netherlands > Western Europe > Europe