Martha Van Coppenolle

Martha Van Coppenolle (April 13, 1912 – September 22, 2004) was a Flemish Belgian artist and book illustrator. She was cited by the 'Letterenhuis - Museum' (the Antwerp Museum of the Literary Arts) to be one of the most prolific and influential of all Flemish illustrators.[1] She created pen and ink drawings for over 40 novels and children's books, particularly during the period between 1930 and 1960 within the Flemish region. Her early work leaned strongly towards the Russian Avant-Garde Movement, although she would equally be at ease, creating very colourful and detailed fairy tale illustrative motifs, for certain nursery rhymes when needed. Aside from illustrating, she was equally involved in creating graphic design, ceramic sculptures, oil paintings and furniture design concepts. In the later stages of her life, she gained international recognition as a stained glass artist.

Martha Van Coppenolle
Martha Van Coppenolle
Born	April 13, 1912 Merksem
Died	September 22, 2004 (aged 92) Antwerp
Resting place	Cemetery of Berchem
Nationality	Belgian
Education	Technical Institute for Applied and Decorative Arts-Sint Maria
Style	Russian Avant-Garde
Spouse(s)	Herman De Meester
Awards	Gold medal from the City of Antwerp

Early life and influences

Martha Van Coppenolle was born in Merksem (Antwerp) Belgium, on April 13. 1912. She was the first daughter of Octaaf Van Coppenolle and Helena Van Immerzeel. As of the early age of seven, she became fascinated by art in all its forms and at the age of fourteen, she created her first oil on canvas painting. Though unfinished, the painting is supposedly a mirrored self-portrait. In 1927, she painted her second canvas, a still-life flower arrangement. Van Coppenolle was mainly influenced by her contemporary artist friends. However, she had a particular preference towards most of the British Pre-Raphaelite painters and illustrators of that period, together with the current wave of Avant-Gardism sweeping the continent at that time.

Political activity

As of 1914, Van Coppenolle and her mother fled to London England, in order to avoid World War One's atrocities on the Belgian battlefield, where her father was an Officer in the Army. In 1915 while still in London, her sister Maria was born. Upon their return to Belgium in 1917, Martha immediately continued her schooling and passion for art. During the 1930s, she became briefly and moderately involved with the Flemish National Movement, therefore designing mainly for the Vlaamsche Boekenweek and Het Boek van Vlaanderen in 1936. Furthermore, she was responsible for creating the prestigious six-part series about the history of Flanders, published by the Standaard Boekhandel. In 1943 she married Herman De Meester, a Secretary for the Government of Belgium.

Death and legacy

Van Coppenolle died on 22 September 2004 in Antwerp at the age of 92. Her body was cremated and her ashes stored at the Cemetery of Berchem. She was survived by her two sons, Antony De Meester, a renowned Canadian graphic designer, typographer and 20th century decorative arts expert, and Axel De Meester, a reputable Belgian photographer.

Book illustrations and other graphic works

Her first major success and award came in 1930, during the many years of study at the 'Technical Institute for Applied and Decorative Arts-Sint Maria' in Antwerp, where she won the prestigious gold medal from the City of Antwerp, in a province wide competition. The competition's aim, was to create a banner-flag representing the city's image at the 'International World Exposition', taking place in Antwerp at the time. After graduating from Sint-Maria with the highest honours, Martha Van Coppenolle immersed herself immediately into book and book-cover illustrations, for the famous Flemish writer Ernest Claes from 1941 onwards, with 'De Fanfare', 'De St. Jansvrienden' and 'De Geschiedenis van Black' in 1942. She equally illustrated books and covers for Karel Jonckheere, such as 'Cargo', 'Tierra Caliente' and 'De Zevende Haven' in 1942. Some other famous writers whose books she illustrated were Stijn Streuvels, Guido Gezelle, Valère Depauw, Aster Berkhof, Theo Bogaerts, Jan Boschmans, Jozef Simons, Anton van de Velde, Aimé de Cort and Fritz Reuter. She always treasured her close friendship with both Ernest Claes and Maurits Bilcke and collaborated on a few occasions with a Czechoslovakian designer friend of hers, who worked for M.L. Baugniet and introduced her to him. The result was a unique chromed sofa, which has since been sold. Most of Martha Van Coppenolle's drawings were either executed in pen and ink, pastel or gouache/aquarel. In total she illustrated more than 40 books, for many of which she received honourable mentions during her most prolific years from 1930 to 1955. The 'Letterenhuis - Museum' in Antwerp, has a substantial amount of her original drawings and personal references in their archives. In their quarterly publication 'Zuurvrij 19' of December 2010, a 6-page Flemish article was written by Robert Lucas, about Martha Van Coppenolle (Archive of an Illustrator), emphasizing her extensive past contributions and notability to the literary world of present-day Flanders.[1] Last but not least, she was also responsible for the packaging design of the famous 'Antwerpse Handjes', a typical and special small chocolate, made in the shape of a hand. She also created several Art-Deco design rugs. Unfortunately, the few that still remain are nearly un-obtainable. Most of her works, were either signed in full 'Martha Van Coppenolle','M. Van Coppenolle' or 'M.V.C.'. A few early works were left unsigned.

Mature work

In the 1960s her work became more varied and we see a vast array of different artistic media being used, such as plaster and ceramic sculptures, textile designs and hundreds of Neon-Sign advertising panels, in pastel-chalks on black board,( in order to show fluorescence). She also taught and lectured for many years at the Sint Maria Institute, where she herself used to study during the 1930s. In the 1950s and 60's she was also an Award-winning member of the SCM Small Film Club in Mortsel, where she produced many 8 and 16 mm. films, for which she received several medals. Possibly her most fruitful output during the later days, came in the form of some unique and wonderful Stained-Glass windows, which she produced in varying sizes. Colourful and of high quality, most of these were created after an extensive study at The Academy of Fine Arts in Berchem-Antwerp. All of her stained glass windows were warmly accepted not only locally, but they also became very much appreciated, both in the USA and in Canada.

Biography

In 2007, a complete Biography on the 'Life and Work of Martha Van Coppenolle - Book Illustrator' was written in Flemish, by Miss Karen Joly, a 3rd degree Bachelor of Arts and Sciences, for the University of Louvain. Several other references concerning Martha Van Coppenolle, are to be found on various Internet websites and the World Wide Web.

References

1. Lucas, Robert (December 2010). "Martha van Coppenolle: Archief van een boekillustrator". Zuurvrij. 26 (2): 98. Retrieved 22 August 2013.

External links

• http://www.calameo.com/books/00030804822ac79e830e6

• Also see: K. Scheerlinck en R. Lucas, Antwerpen geplakt. Vooroorlogse Antwerpse affichekunst,(Pre-War Posters) Published in Antwerpen, 1993.

Deze tentoonstellingscatalogus opent met enkele affiches die ook al opgenomen waren in Papieren herauten, de expo van 1991. Toch biedt het de eerste dwarsdoorsnede van de tussenoorlogse Antwerpse (vooral culturele) afficheproductie: 73 van de 93 werken hebben betrekking op het interbellum. Daaronder pareltjes van Leo Marfurt, de school van Ter Kameren enz. Bijna alle affiches komen uit de ongemeen rijke collectie van het Archief en Museum voor het Vlaamse Cultuurleven (A.M.V.C.) te Antwerpen, die er een actieve politiek op nahoudt wat betreft de studie en ontsluiting van Vlaamse culturele affiches. Hoewel de uitgave (druk- en lay-outtechnisch) niet helemaal in verhouding staat tot de kwaliteit van het getoonde werk, bevat ze een schat aan nooit eerder gepubliceerde informatie (onder meer over de oplage van de affiches en de vergoedingen voor de ontwerpers). De inleiding (27 pp) behandelt o.m. het affichefonds van het A.M.V.C.; achteraan zijn biografieën opgenomen van alle kunstenaars (14 pp).

Volgende kunstenaars komen aan bod: Leo van Aken, Emiel van Averbeke, Jules Baetes, Marcel-Louis Baugniet, Cornelis Bender, Raymond Briot, G. Jos Buschmann, Alberic Collin, Martha Van Coppenolle, Gustave Donnet, Duvivier, Julien t'Felt, Frans van Giel, Jan Hassink, Robert Hens, Frans van Immerseel, Frans van Kuyck, Jos Leonard, Karel Maes, Alfons Marchant, Leo Marfurt, Lou Bertot-Marissal, Fred Stocks May, Jos Michielssen, Eugène van Mieghem, Andrée Moens, Marcel Morre, Frank Mortelmans, Ernst Naets, Alfred van Neste, Jean van Noten, Edmond van Offel, Alfred Ost, Julia Ost, Jozef Peeters, Edward Pellens, Frans Proost, Marius Renard, Willem van Riet, Lucien de Roeck, Louis Royon, Lode Sebregts, Lode Seghers, Willem Seghers, Edward van Steenbergen, Felix Timmermans, Henri Timmermans, Prosper de Troyer, Walter van der Ven, France van de Vin, James de Weert, Edgard Wiethase, Jozef Winters.

NL; 236 pp; soft cover