Ton Leenarts

Get to know the artist Ton Leenarts and watch the artist portrait as a video here.

 

Watch the video with english subtitles: https://tonleenarts.com/kuenstlerportraet-english

 

Watch the video with dutch subtitles: https://tonleenarts.com/kuenstlerportraet-dutch

 

Watch the video with greek subtitles: https://tonleenarts.com/kuenstlerportraet-greek

 

Saddhu in Varanasi

Oil on canvas
150 x 120 cm
1998
Saddhu in Varanasi is a painting of a man in deep meditation on the banks of the holy river Ganges in Varanasi, India. Varanasi ist possibly the holiest cities of all for Hindhus in India. To take a bath in or better still die near the river in Varanasi is an almost sure way to attain Mokhsa or on other words enter Nirvana trough liberation from samsara, which is the cycle of death and rebirth in which we all are stuck until we attain Mokhsa. Consequently the Gnats lining the river are always filled with thousands of pilgrims waiting to be blessed by the holy waters of the Ganges.

Bazar Memphis

Oil on canvas
130 x 130 cm
1984
At the foot of the pyramids in Giza is a poor shabby area full of shops selling fake antiques and tourist junk.But some of these shops have been decorated by their owners in such a way that they are interesting after all. The owner of this charming shop, the Memphis bazar, was very please when I painted his shop and even though has not much history it is a very romantic reminder of Egypt.

Maharadja Rai Singh

Acrylic on canvas
150 x 120 cm
2018

The idea to make paintings whereby the image was partly hidden from view by circles came to me in Jaipur in India. There is a famous palace in Jaipur called “the palace of the winds” or in Hindu “ Hava Mahal”. It was built to function as a place where the ladies of the court could watch the world go by. The intricate latticework made a kind of architectural veil, woman of the royal household could freely view the bazaar and the passers by without being seen themselves.

In my circle paintings I’ve painted simple scenes often inspired by Moghul miniatures and made them more intriguing by covering some of the details in the paintings behind circles.

Bar Principal

Oil of cancas
100 x 80 cm
2020

In Mexico one finds great edifices paying homage to the cultures of the Aztecs and Maya, but but also humble houses that you can find in every town. Rows and rows of simple structures that are made individual and pretty by painting them in every colour under the sun, an image of contemporary Mexico that is very appealing and worth capturing.

Aeropages

Oil on canvas
80 x 75 cm
2024

Ancient Greece is a treasure trove full of history, stories and buildings its where Pericles build the Acropolis and where Lysippus, perhaps the greatest sculptor ever, made his masterpieces. And don’t forget Prometheus without whom we still would be freezing. Have I mention Ajax?

More works