He painted in a variety of styles, using both oil and acrylic. He created the most difficult drawings, in both pen and pencil. He made illustrations for both the Bounty and the Mars, as well as Multatuli's story Woutertje Pieterse. Anyone reading these things would not immediately think of Jan Kruis, who is after all best known as the illustrator of Jan, Jans en de Kinderen (Jack, Jacky and the Juniors). In the exhibition From Jan, Jans en de Kinderen to Multatuli, the Stripmuseum (Dutch Comic Book Museum) focuses on that lesser-known side of Jan Kruis.
We are being given a tour by Frank Vleeshouwer, the curator of the exhibition. When he sat at the table with the acquaintances of Jan Kruis, they decided they didn't want to just focus on Jan, Jans and de Kinderen. That is why the exhibition is divided into several sections, starting with the life of Jan Kruis. There is an old photo of his family, where the comparison with the family from Jan, Jans en de Kinderen really has to be made. For example, John's daughter looks exactly like Catootje, braids and all. Vleeshouwer: ‘Jan Kruis also never made it a secret that Jan, Jans en de Kinderen is based on his own family. Only the father from the comic is not based on himself. So Father Jan from the comics is not Jan Kruis.’
CARTOONIST
In his early years, Kruis was one of the artists for the well-known comic strip Sjors en Sjimmie, which was actually more of a ‘necessity’ than anything else. The same can be said for the drawings for Shell, Bounty and Mars. Vleeshouwer: ‘As an illustrator, you have to do something like that. There has to be food on the table.’
‘The suitcase was so full that it was ready to burst’
What’s unique is that drawings and comics from the childhood of Jan Kruis have been found. Amongst the drawings were even a box with a tuft of Jan’s hair from when he was little. Across from this is a display case that you would walk right past, but which Vleeshouwer says could be called a true treasure. Here lies the suitcase. This suitcase was found after Kruis' death and was full of unpublished comics, sketches and practice pieces. Vleeshouwer: ‘The suitcase was so full that it was ready to burst.’
Vleeshouwer continues to emphasise the enormous amount of work that Jan Kruis created and how special his work actually is: ‘When Jan Kruis' wife came by here, she pointed out this beautiful, large drawing. She said: “I don't know this one at all!” Jan created so much work. I have enlarged this drawing very much, to show that even his small sketches and drawings are of tremendous quality.’
PAINTER
With an exhibition from a normal cartoonist, you might think that by now just about everything would have been covered: the life of the cartoonist and the comics he drew. But Jan Kruis didn't stick to comics, pen or pencil. He preferred to grab his brushes in the evening and start painting.
These largely unknown paintings are therefore perhaps the highlight of the exhibition. Kruis painted both himself, his family, and famous Dutch people. Kruis painted true to nature, but in a variety of styles. The self-portrait is even reminiscent of Van Gogh.
The self-portrait is even reminiscent of Van Gogh
The extremely warm portrait of the Royal Family, a preliminary study, is striking. The final version was purchased by the Royal Family and donated to Ameland. This painting is so large that it could not be shipped to the Stripmuseum. The painting where Kruis depicts himself on a Harley Davidson next to a naked woman is special as well. Fun detail: this is not Kruis' own wife, but ‘the perfect model’ composed of three other models. And that Harley Davidson? Kruis once received it as a gift because he had incorporated it into one of his comics.
The exhibition From Jan, Jans en de Kinderen to Multatuli will be on display at the Nederlands Stripmuseum until 3 September.
Text: Philip Rozema
Photos: Lisa Jasperina Bommerson