Matthijs Roling, 1943 | Figurative painter

Dutch painter and teacher Matthijs Röling (Oostkapelle, 1943) received the prize for his entire painted oeuvre. The jury was particularly impressed by the fact that his teaching at the Academie Minerva in Groningen has been no less inspirational to large numbers of younger artists than his painting.

In 1983 Matthijs Röling began working on large-scale decorative projects, such as monumental canvases and wall and ceiling paintings. In recent years these projects have come to occupy an increasingly important place within Röling's highly diverse oeuvre. His manner has been compared to that of the Old Masters, and the illusionistic scenes he paints on walls and ceilings are reminiscent of frescoes.

Notwithstanding these parallels with the past, Röling's work is distinguished by his independence, integrity and craftsmanship.

Matthijs Röling was born in the village of Oostkapelle in the Dutch province of Zealand in 1943. In 1960 he began his training at the Koninklijke Academie in The Hague.

In 1963 he transferred to the Rijksacademie in Amsterdam, from which he was expelled a year later. Since 1973 Matthijs Röling has taught at the Academie Minerva in Groningen.

In 1962 Röling began exhibiting his work regularly in museums and galleries throughout the Netherlands.

Galleries which have shown his work include M.L. de Boer and Galerie Mokum in Amsterdam as well as Galerie Wiek XX in Groningen.

Matthijs Röling: “Art: that's being in love with a girl from Sweden and hopping on your motorbike to see her that very same evening”, Matthijs Röling taught his students at the Minerva Academy of Fine Arts, Groningen. For Röling, this impulsive, overpowering love manifested itself early on in an uncontrollable urge to draw and an interest in Italian Renaissance artists.

Besides these founding fathers of realism in Western art, Röling also draws inspiration from Japanese wood engraving and Persian miniatures.

His work explores everyday things such as the sunlight in a room or arranged objects, actually “everything that strikes me with passion, that touches my heart”.

He often takes themes from mythology for his wall paintings. Röling considers it a great challenge to add something to these classical subjects. Along with artists Wout Muller and Henk Helmantel, Röling is seen as one of the founders of Northern Realism.

Pittore ed insegnante, Matthijs Röling ha ricevuto il Dr. AH Heineken Prize per l'Arte 1994, per tutta la sua opera dipinta. La giuria è stata particolarmente colpita dal fatto che il suo insegnamento alla Academia Minerva di Groningen non è stato meno fonte di ispirazione per un grand numero di artisti più giovani della sua pittura.

Nel 1983 Matthijs Röling iniziò a lavorare su progetti decorativi di grandi dimensioni, come le tele monumentali e dipinti a parete e soffitto. Negli ultimi anni questi progetti sono venuti ad occupare un posto sempre più importante nell'ambito dell'opera altamente diversificata di Röling.

Il suo modo è stata paragonata a quella degli antichi maestri, e le scene illusionistiche che dipinge su pareti e soffitti ricordano affreschi. Nonostante questi paralleli con il passato, il lavoro Röling si distingue per la sua indipendenza, l'integrità e l'artigianato.

Il pittore Olandese Matthijs Röling è nato nel villaggio di Oostkapelle nella provincia olandese della Zelanda nel 1943. Nel 1960 ha iniziato la sua formazione presso la Koninklijke Academie a L'Aia. Nel 1963 si è trasferito al Rijksacademie ad Amsterdam, da cui è stato espulso un anno dopo.

Dal 1973 Röling Matthijs ha insegnato presso la Minerva Academie a Groningen.

Nel 1962 inizia ad esporre Röling il suo lavoro regolarmente in musei e gallerie in tutta l'Olanda. Le gallerie che hanno dimostrato il suo lavoro includono M.L. de Boer e Galerie Mokum ad Amsterdam così come Galerie Wiek XX a Groningen.