Mathilde Willink
(Double) portrait of Mathilde Willink
My first (double) portrait of Mathilde Willink, the third woman of painter Carel Willink, is ready for the Mathilde day 7-7-2018 in Terneuzen. I am very honoured with the invitation to participate in this event. The size of the painting is 110×60 cm, painted with acrylic paint on Belgian linen. The intention is that I will make another 2 paintings with her as a subject. And if I have time for it, I also make a Mathilde doll.
Double portrait of Mathilde Willink, oil on Belgian linen, 110×60 cm
Mathilde was found dead on October 25, 1977 at the age of 39 with a gun shot by her left ear, either by suicide or by murder. That has never been solved. On October 7, 2018, if still alive, she would have been 80 years old. This is commemorated and celebrated in Terneuzen because one is proud of her famous resident, who was born there and lived until her 19th year.
I painted her twice in two stages in her life. The make-up and the decorations became increasingly colorful and fiercer in the course of time. She was not only the muse of Carel Willink, but also of Fong Leng, who designed and realized her extravagant clothes. The painting can now be offered, but it must remain available for the Mathilde-Willink day 7-7-2018 in Terneuzen.
Portraitstudies in watercolour on paper, ca. 60×45 cm
Studies in watercolours
Prior to this portrait, I have made some portrait and model studies of her and I have incorporated it in this portrait. The size is about 60×45 cm, painted with watercolour on paper.
Mathildewas found dead the 25th of October 1977, on her four-poster bed, at the age of 39.
Mathilde is still a source of inspiration today. Numerous biographies are written, plays, films, songs, works of art, and so on. In addition to all those biographies, Mathilde Willink and Fong Leng are still an inexhaustible source of inspiration. Viktor & Rolf with their collection ‘Flowers’ in 2003, the first Dutch Vogue in 2012 and Lady Gaga in clips like ‘Judas’ and ‘The Edge of Glory’ are just a few examples.
The Secret of the Master
Next week, Tuesday, October 17, 2018, the portrait that Carel Willink made of his second wife Wilma will be explored in the TV program The Secret of the Master. The canvas portrait of Wilma (from 1952) was one of the highlights of Willink’s work. Wilma died a year before Carel Mathilde died. At their introduction, Willink was sixty years old, Mathilde 21. It was 1960, and Willink camped with the forerunner of imminent oblivion. He was a widower for a year when he became acquainted with Mathilde de Doelder. In 1969 he married her. His relationship with Mathilde brought him into publicity, his brand awareness grew as well as his bank account. Carel Willink feels deep in the pockets when Mathilde drops her eyes on the creations of the Chinese-Dutch designer Fong Leng. Thanks to Mathilde, Willink becomes top of the bill. Sylvia Quiël becomes Willink’s 4th wife, to great dissatisfaction with Mathilde. Many scenes, and Mathilde will work with two paintings of Willink with a bread knife, Wilma’s 1951 portrait and Portrait of Mathilde from 1963. Both have been restored. Breaking turbulent times break, because Mathilde does not let himself down or hit. On October 25, 1977, at the age of 39, Mathilde is found dead with a gun shot through her left ear. Her death has never been elucidated, many think she was murdered.
Also look on my blog for: weteringschans-22-woon-en-sterfplek-van-mathilde-willink-door-frank-van-vuuren//
I am linking to an article about Mathilde and her life course:
