Stars on Canvas

After my move from Rotterdam to the Zeeland town of Veere, I participated in the TV show Sterren op het Doek. During each episode of the popular TV show 'Stars on Canvas', a Dutch celebrity has his/her portrait painted by three artists. At the end of the show, the celebrity can take his/her favourite portrait home. The other two paintings are auctioned off, with the proceeds going to charity.

In the episode of 20 November 2021, presenter Özcan Akyol interviewed the charismatic Jan Terlouw, at Rijnhuizen Castle in Nieuwegein. A superb location! This is where Jan worked, at the start of his career as a fundamental physics researcher. During his interview with Özcan, this multifaceted scientist, politician and author, talked about the beginnings of his authorship and the special relationship with his wife.

With fellow artists Pauline Koehorst and Sophie Vrolijk, I was on scene to study him and to capture him in drawings, in front of the camera. That was fairly difficult to do, because remaining still in order to pose was not an option. After having taken a few photographs, we each went back to our atelier, where the real work began.

Two weeks later, Özcan and his film crew dropped by to check on progress. By that time, I had finished the underpainting, and in the weeks thereafter the painting developed, using photos.
The location where Terlouw would select his favourite canvas, was the Mauritshuis Museum in The Hague, next to the Binnenhof.

Familiar territory for the former leader of the political party of D66. My portrait was the one in which he recognized his outlook most, and he looked forward to taking it home. An honour, although ‘winning’ was, of course, not the most important thing. Because there is no accounting for taste. And the other portraits had both captured the man as well.

Being a part of this show was a joyful experience. Thank you, Özcan, and all the nice folks at Mediawater, who produce 'Stars on Canvas' for broadcaster MAX!