Encounter

A Life of Resilience and Artistry

Jan Budding was a Dutch painter, visual artist, watercolorist, graphic artist, pen drawer, and draftsman. Born in Amsterdam, Netherlands, his life was marked by profound experiences during the war years. In 1942, he was arrested for illegal activities against the German occupier and transported to the Sachsenhausen concentration camp. During his imprisonment, he secretly documented the experiences of himself and his fellow prisoners through drawings, works that are now held in the Sachsenhausen camp museum. He also donated a special book of similar drawings to the Beit Lochamei HaGeta'ot museum in Israel.

Following the war, Budding returned severely ill with tuberculosis and spent nearly ten years in various sanatoriums, both in the Netherlands and abroad. It was during this period of recovery that he decided to dedicate himself entirely to art. He received his training at the Rijksakademie van beeldende kunsten under the guidance of Gé Röling, Otto de Kat, and Jan Wiegers, having also studied at the Kunstnijverheidsschool (Gerrit Rietveld Academie).

Artistic Style and Subject Matter

Budding's work is characterized by a figurative style that focuses on humans, animals, and the environment. His subjects included landscapes, still lifes, figures, portraits, and animals, with a particular emphasis on chickens and poultry. His creative process often involved seeking out experiment and chance, which, combined with his technical skill, resulted in a highly original and recognizable oeuvre.

His artistic output was diverse, spanning several mediums:

Throughout his career, he was a member of the KunstenaarsCentrumBergen (KCB) and the federation of painters in Amsterdam. His work has been exhibited extensively in solo and group shows across various locations, including Paris, Poland, and Germany.