The Quiet Struggle of a Sensitive Soul

Fred Matthijs lived a life that was often as complicated as the canvases he produced. Born in 1948, he was a man of deep sensitivity, a quality that allowed him to feel the world intensely but also made the pressures of a professional art career difficult to bear. His path was not a steady climb; instead, it was marked by periods of profound struggle. There were times when he found himself unable to pick up a brush, blocked by the very intensity that fueled his creativity. These interruptions were not mere pauses but significant chapters in a life where the act of painting was deeply tied to his internal state.

His work often felt like a silent witness to his personal battles. He moved through the art world of the Limburg region, exhibiting in various galleries and spaces, including the museum in Venlo. He once shared exhibition spaces with significant figures of the era, yet his own success remained elusive. The weight of expectation and the demands of a changing market proved heavy. Eventually, the struggle to maintain a livelihood led to a period of hardship, leaving behind a collection of works that reflected both his talent and his perseverance.

A Shift in Vision and Form

The evolution of his style was marked by a significant turning point in the 1980s. For much of his early career, his work followed a different trajectory, but a shift toward abstraction brought a new wave of interest and commissions. This period saw him navigating the tension between his personal artistic needs and the external pressures of the art market. His output during these years remains a central part of his legacy, captured in the collections of institutions like the Museum van Bommel van Dam.

His catalog includes several notable pieces from the mid-1980s, such as:

• Untitled (1986)
• Bittere aardbeien
• De kinderen van Zygaena Angelicaé
• Combine (samenzwering)
• De gekwelde (Christusfiguur)
• De verliezers
• De beraadslaging
• Wachtenden
• Herinnering aan Napels
• Stilleven
• Zonder titel (maskers in rood)
• Mens en vogel

The Legacy Left Behind

When Fred Matthijs passed away in Geleen, he left behind more than just paintings. He left a history of resilience. Much of his work was preserved in a collection stored away in a large attic, protected by layers of cardboard and plastic, waiting for a chance to be seen again. This collection, which includes many hidden gems, serves as a record of a man who fought his own battles through his art. His paintings remain as physical traces of a life lived with profound feeling, offering a glimpse into the mind of an artist who refused to be silenced by the difficulties of his existence.