Johannes ten Klooster was born in 1873 in Java, to a Javanese/Chinese mother and a Dutch father. He was educated in the Netherlands and, while cherishing a deep desire to become an artist, was
forced to work for a living. From 1897 till 1914 he acted as a military officer in the Dutch East Indies and was stationed in Java, Sumatra and New Guinea. It was only after his return to the
Netherlands and his retirement in 1919 that he was able to devote his life to art.
His prolific and widely acclaimed oeuvre ranges from intriguing oil paintings to expressive woodcuts and exquisite ink drawings, which echo classical Chinese and Japanese art as well as art
deco motifs.
Nature, in all its aspects, was his main inspiration and he was able to draw upon the innumerable sketches he made during his years in the lush, tropical environment of the Dutch East Indies.
Ten Klooster was a successful artist in his time and his work was purchased by a number of authoritative museums in the Netherlands, Great Britain and the United States. This publication
discusses all aspects of Ten Klopster's life and work and includes a complete catalogue of his 175 woodcuts.
