Hendrik de Laat - The St. John's and St. Jacob's Church in 's-Hertogenbosch (2x)

Hendrik de Laat. St. John's Church in 's-Hertogenbosch. Authentic etching by the artist. Hand-signed. Written on the back: From Marktstraat. This is a posthumous print by the same master. It depicts St. James's Church in 's-Hertogenbosch.

De Laat was born in 1900 in 's-Hertogenbosch, the son of house and decorative painter Gerardus Johannes Maria de Laat and Maria Elisabeth Pierson. At age 11, De Laat enrolled in Frans Kops's evening classes at the Royal School (later KTA) in 's-Hertogenbosch. From 1915 to 1917, he studied drawing and painting part-time at this school with Barend Bouwmeester, Frans Kops, Piet Slager Jr., and André Verhorst. At 16, he won two first prizes, one for drawing and one for painting. In 1917, his father died at the age of 51, leaving him the breadwinner for his mother and sister, and further study was not possible for the time being. Nevertheless, his first exhibition opened on September 24, 1921.
In 1922, he took private lessons in drawing and painting with Frans Slager, the younger brother of the aforementioned Piet Slager. That same year, he also took courses with Jules Dony, an engineer, who instilled in him a distinct preference for all aspects of architecture.
In 1924 he started working as an etcher after a chance meeting with the artist Constant Nefkens, who offered him a small etching press for sale for 10 guilders.
Yet he also continued to draw, paint, and create watercolors. He worked extensively in his hometown, but also in the province of North Brabant and further afield. He also occasionally ventured further afield. He captured numerous cityscapes and village scenes, many of which would later disappear or undergo radical change. His style reflected the characteristics of the Hague School painters, whom he greatly admired. He had a strong affinity for Johannes Bosboom, Paul Gabriel, and Anton Mauve. From 1935 onward, he focused primarily on capturing Protestant church interiors.
On August 13, 1931, Hendrik de Laat married Marie Kloppenburg (1902-1984). Seven children were born from this marriage. In 1935, he established a shop at 18 Vughterdijk.
From 1935 to 1940, he was an art critic for (the predecessor of) the Brabants Dagblad. This period also marked his artistic collaboration with the (Limburgian) painter Jhr. Rob Graafland, a teacher in Amsterdam and then living in Vught. On the occasion of his 70th birthday, he was given an honorary exhibition at "De Moriaan" in 's-Hertogenbosch and awarded the silver Hieronymus Bosch Medal.
Shortly after his 80th birthday, he died rather unexpectedly on April 22, 1980. The funeral took place at St. John's Cathedral, which he had immortalized many times. In early December 1983, the family donated the sketches and preliminary studies found in his studio (a total of approximately 1,700) to the City Archives of 's-Hertogenbosch on long-term loan.