Not long ago it warmed up long enough, barely long enough,
for one truly enjoyable afternoon at an outdoor café. That was the collective
signal for winter-weary Amsterdammers in every corner of the city to hit the
bricks. That’s exactly what we did. In fact, by the time I showed up, Gwaz was
wedged in among the sun-cravers sipping the countless variety of available
beverages; and she wasn’t alone. Unbeknownst to either of us, then, she was
talking to Alphons Freijmuth.
Who’s Alphonse Freijmuth? I might have wondered the same
thing if I hadn’t spent the better part of the next three hours talking
everything from Rembrandt to Nazi occupation during the 1940’s to his art. You
see, Alphonse is a preeminent Dutch modern artist. In his circles, Alphonse is well
known. To us, he is yet another exceptional Dutchie, one willing to share a few
hours and seven decades of his life experiences.
I fully intend to take him up on his offer to narrate a tour
of the Frans Hals Museum in his hometown. I fully intend to take him up on his
invitation to call him and visit his studio, which luckily for me is a short
walk from our apartment. And, most importantly, I fully intend to use my short
time with him as inspiration the next time I stare at a blank canvas with a
brush full of paint.
On that sunny March afternoon, sharing a beverage or two, listening
to Alphons, I was well aware of our good fortune. Alphons is not shy. In fact,
he is as bold as his art. Blessed with a keen intellect and sharp memory, he
described his art and his world travels. As he told us one particular story,
Alphons laughed out loud. He remembered the day in the 1960’s when he told his New
York audience where he was born. The Manhattan modern art crowd had a hard time
believing him when he told them he was born and raised…in Haarlem!
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