This painting, You Should Read This, by Charles Burki (1909 - 1994), a Dutch artist who led an interesting life. He was born the son of an architect in Java, the Dutch East Indies. In 1929 he went to the Netherlands to study, then to Paris.
In 1938 he returned to the Dutch East Indies with his wife. During the Second World War he was taken prisoner by the Japanese. After 14 months in the camp at Bandung he was transported to Japan. On the way he was one of the few to survive following the sinking of the transport ship. In Japan he ended up in a labour camp in Nagasaki where he survived the atomic bomb. He produced a series of drawings illustrating his experiences as a prisoner.
After the war he and his wife returned to the Netherlands.
Wow, what a story. This is not the kind of art I would expect from someone who had been through those experiences.
ReplyDeleteI'll admit I had pictured Japanese prison camps entirely different than this illustration. Less books, less pipes. :) This is a SUPER picture that has 1950s written all over it. I like that era.
ReplyDeleteThrough how many passing some in lifetime. Extraordinary!
ReplyDeleteThat is a delightful card.
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