portraits

portrait of Philip Glass in black and white oil paint in a hyperrealistic Chuck Close style

Daan van Doorn: A Unique Voice in Portrait Art

Daan van Doorn brings a distinctive, personal style to the world of portrait painting. His works are unmistakably contemporary and authentic, capturing not just the likeness of his subjects but the depth of their character. Each portrait reflects a subtle psychological insight, blending outer and inner beauty into a compelling whole.

In an era dominated by digital imagery, Daan van Doorn’s painted portraits offer a timeless, valuable alternative. A great portrait is more than a likeness—it is a masterpiece that continues to captivate through its composition, color, and emotional resonance.

Artistic Technique: Natural Pigments and Visible Layers

Daan van Doorn has developed a unique expression within figurative painting, using natural pigments and earth tones to create depth and authenticity. His technique allows viewers to see how the painting was created, with visible chalk sketches and underpainting adding texture and history to each piece.

International Recognition and Prestigious Commissions

Daan van Doorn’s distinctive style has earned him commissions both nationally and internationally. His work is appreciated by collectors of modern and classical art alike. Among his most notable achievements are portraits of H.M. Queen Beatrix and Prime Minister Balkenende.

His talent has also been recognized on the global stage:

Selected for the BP Portrait Award at the National Portrait Gallery in London (2011 and 2013).
Exhibited at TEFAF Maastricht (2012 and 2013), one of the world’s most prestigious art fairs.

Specialization: Portraits of Children

One of Daan van Doorn’s greatest strengths is his ability to capture the essence of children in his portraits. His light, transparent technique brings out their innocence and vitality, adding an extra dimension to each piece. The portraits become emotional time capsules, intertwining memories and events with the canvas, creating a timeless connectionthat is cherished across generations.

Why Choose a Portrait by Daan van Doorn?

Timeless Value: A painted portrait is more than an image—it’s a lasting work of art.
Psychological Depth: His portraits reveal the person behind the face, offering a profound and authenticrepresentation.
Artistic Mastery: Using natural pigments and layered techniques, each portrait is a unique, handcrafted masterpiece.

Portrait of Philip Glass in a hyperrealistic style like Chuck Close

Philip Glass , 2011

oil on polyester canvas
140 x 177 cm

This portrait of composer, musician and conductor Philip Glass was selected for the BP Portrait Award in 2013. The BP Portrait Awards are the Olympics of portrait painting, organised by the National Gallery in London.Philip Glass posed for this portrait during a music festival in Middelburg. The painting has been exhibited at the BP Portrait Awards in 2013, at the National Portrait Gallery in London and the European Museum of Modern Art in Barcelona, among others. I opted for an ultra-realistic style, in thousands of brushstrokes of black and white oil paint. The style is inspired by the portrait that Chuck Close made of Glass. They have also become good friends. As you can read on the National Portrait Gallery website, seeing that portrait of Close made me decide to become a realistic painter. It was the second time that one of my portraits was selected for the Portrait Awards: in 2011 the jury chose my painting of jazz musician Courtney Pine.Being nominated was a huge honor both times!

Portrait of museum owner Hans Melcher with deer antlers in the background in green and beige

Hans Daniël Melchers
Oil on canvas
100 x 130 cm

Owner of Museum MORE Gorsel and Castle Ruurlo
Castle Ruurlo is a museum of modern realism located in the Achterhoek region of the Netherlands. and houses a collection of works by Dutch realist artists such as Carel Willink, Pyke Koch, and Jan Mankes. Museum MORE located in the Dutch village of Gorssel, which is also owned by Hans Melchers. It is the largest museum for Dutch Modern Realism and houses works by artists such as Jan Mankes, Charley Toorop, and Pyke Koch, among others.
As you can see mr Melchers is also an avid hunter.

Courtney Pine

oil on panel
150 x 150 cm

In 2011 I submitted a portrait of Courtney Pine, which got selected for the BP Award. I usually work on commission, but for the BP’s I like to choose my own subjects. Courtney Pine is a multi-talented instrumentalist who brought jazz music to a huge audience. By incorporating reggae from his Caribbean roots, but also by working with drum ‘n bass and hip hop artists. And he believes in practice, practice, practice, which I love.
Pine is a tall guy, a very striking figure with big eyes and long dreadlocks behind his black bandana. I was very fortunate to meet him backstage at the jazz festival in Middelburg, my hometown. I simply asked if he would pose, briefly, for a painting. And he did! In a great pose he chose himself, with his hands folded in front of his lips. Like a silent musical prayer, a funny and symbolic gesture of his love for jazz, for the saxophone.

Gerlach Cerfontaine

Oil on canvas
80 x 110 cm

Portrait made with oil on canvas commissioned by the Schiphol Group from Gerlach Cerfontaine .He was CEO of the Schiphol Group.
This portrait was commissioned by the Schiphol Group from Gerlach J. Cerfontaine President-director of the Schiphol Group and now a professor in Utrecht and Maastricht. Cerfontaine was a general practitioner and psychotherapist, sat on various boards and moved to Schiphol in 1998. They honored him with a portrait upon his retirement. Cerfontaine is an officer in the order of Oranje Nassau. Daan van Doorn paints jubilees, professors, etc. on commission. Honorary portraits, for a portrait gallery. A classic style was chosen for this portrait, in earthy tones. The underdrawing is visible through the layers of oil paint.

oil portrait of Jane Goodall in red and green with a Morris wall paper in the background Valerie Jane Morris-Goodall

.Portrait of the English anthropologist, biologist and activist Valerie Jane Morris-Goodall .

She was best known for her sixty years of study of the social and family life of chimpanzees. And she is founder of the Jane Goodall Institute and the youth program Roots & Shoots with offices in more than thirty countries.

“The work she was doing now is extremely important.
To continue researching monkeys in the wild,
we need to protect their existence and also take care of the local population.
Goodall had reached an age where she could no longer go out in the field on her own.
She could give lectures and make the general public aware of the rich emotional life of monkeys,
thereby generating empathy and raising money for successful nature conservation projects.

That is why she traveled around the world three hundred days a year
to work for the sustainable protection of great apes and their habitats. She was rarely at home in England. The posing session in London was a great experience for me as an admirer . I portrayed her as a frail but strong woman at a respectable age ( 87 ) She looks at us friendly but also with a look of I warned you . She almost exclusively wears scarves over her clothes.
These are gifts to her from the countries she visits. While posing we made a selection from her collection
and I found this one to suit her best because of her warm ,
friendly nature . The choice for the Victorian-looking Morris wallpaper was purely
a choice of feeling, and gives the painting the atmosphere I was looking for.

Gerard Reve

mixed media on canvas
110 x 110 cm

Because of its beautiful strong face , I used this image by Gerard Reve to experiment with some materials such as chalk , pigment and tempera .

Experiments can lead to the best results, a hundred times things go wrong, but in the end it will make you wiser.

Reinbert de Leeuw

Conductor / composer
oil on parchment
75 x 70 cm

When I am going to paint / draw a portrait of someone, it is necessary that the person in question poses for this .

It is important to get to know someone well in order to express his personality on the canvas .

That is of course not possible if the person has died, then as much photo material as possible is drawn from.

From holiday snaps to passport photos the more the better.

In the case of this portrait of Reinbert de Leeuw I used a photo series that I came across in the media.

After seeing a portrait of oil on parchment in an Italian museum wanted to experiment with parchment, because it has such a beautiful drawing and structure. I found this photo very suitable for that and I wanted to paint a portrait of Reinbert de Leeuw because I am mainly an admirer of his performances of Satie on the piano.

Prof. Dr. Frans Moll

UMC Utrecht
oil on canvas
80 x 110 cm

One of the best surgeons in the Netherlands, professor of vascular surgery and inventor of various medical improvements. He worked all over the world, nowadays in Indonesia.

This portrait is painted in a classic style, with homemade oil on canvas. With a striking background that matches a dynamic character.

Prof. Dr. J.P. Balkenende

former prime minister of the Netherlands
50 x 60 cm
oil on panel
commiossioned by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Reed more about Prime Minister J.P. Balkenende

G.L. Ilsink

oil on canvas
2024

portrait by commission

oil on canvas
110 x 80 cm

Schorem barbers ( detail )

oil on canvas

240 x 120 cm

The barber shop was opened in 2011 by Leen and Bertus and is only intended for men. Women are not welcome here. Cutting and shaving does not happen by appointment, you can walk in at any time of the day. There is a good chance that you will have to wait a long time before you are helped, sometimes the waiting times can be up to a few hours. That is compensated with free bottled beer.