Painting like praying

The work of Albert Houthuesen will be on show in London as part of the 20/21 British Art Fair to be held at the Royal College of Art from 11 - 16 September.

Houthuesen is a little known and under valued artist but one who was a wonderfully expressive colourist. Among the works that will be on show in this exhibition are many of Houthuesen's sunsets and seascapes. These are simply saturated with intense colour, as sun or sea fill the artist's vision and the world of his canvas. Houthuesen said that:

"It is a wonderful thing when one is in full swing. The brush in your hand takes over and you don’t even know you’re painting. It’s like praying. Gradually I found that I prayed best when I didn’t know I was praying. And I prayed best of all when I was working, because then I didn’t even think about praying. Whilst you are drawing and painting, you really are on your knees. It is an adoration of the miracle of Nature and the very fact that you happen to be alive."

Towards the end of his life Houthuesen was filmed for a BBC documentary called Walk to the Moon. An extract from this documentary can be viewed on Google Video. In the film Albert's humanity and humour can clearly be seen in the face of great fraility through failing health.

Houthuesen, at the age of eight, witnessed the death of his artist-father at the hand of his mother. The following year, he moved with his family from Amsterdam to London. In the 1920’s, he studied with Moore, Hepworth, Burra and Ceri Richards at the Royal College of Art. National collections holding his work include Tate Britain, The British Museum, Victoria & Albert Museum, National Gallery of Wales, and The Ashmolean.

Richard Nathanson, a private Adviser in Impressionist & 20th Century Art and Houthuesen's biographer, will be exhibiting Houthuesen's work at the British Art Fair.