Henk Helmantel Dutch, b. 1945

Henk Helmantel (1945, Westeremden) is one of the most prominent Dutch painters in the field of contemporary realism. He studied at the Minerva Academy in Groningen from 1961 to 1965. At that time, the academy was already known for its strong figurative tradition, which laid the foundation for his later style within Northern Realism.

Helmantel is generally considered a fine painter. This means that he depicts his subjects in a realistic manner. The most important aspect is the composition, which consists of at least one horizontal, one vertical and possibly one diagonal line. These lines must together form a sophisticated balance.

He became famous for his light, serene still lifes, but he also painted many church interiors and occasionally a rare landscape. In addition, his oeuvre includes a few self-portraits. Helmantel generally uses subdued colours, such as dark grey, green and blue, but highlights specific details with brighter colours.

The artist is influenced by classical seventeenth-century masters such as Rembrandt van Rijn. In particular, the dramatic light-dark contrasts of this master find their way into Helmantel's paintings. For his use of colour, the artist looks more to the balanced interiors and still lifes of Johannes Vermeer. His Christian beliefs play an important role in his perception of creation and culture.

His work has been included in important private and museum collections, such as the Groninger Museum, the Drents Museum in Assen, Museum More in Gorssel, the Kaohsiung Museum of Fine Arts in Taiwan, etc.