Wilhelmina Douglas Hawley
[old website: wdhawley.org (2005)]
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This website about the American artist Wilhelmina Douglas Hawley went online on 17 december 2005. That day an exhibition on her work opened at the Panorama Mesdag in The Hague (until 17 april 2006). De The title of the exhibition in The Hague is "An American in Holland". From 22 April 2006 the exhibition will be presented at the Oudheidkamer in Ridderkerk (near Rijsoord) as "Dromen van Rijsoord" (Dreaming of Rijsoord), until 27 May. We continually add new material to this website, so please visit us again.  |
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The project 'Dreaming of Rijsoord' has been made possible by kind contributions of
Kunst&Zo;
kunst, lijsten en conservering
Stevinstraat 133
2587 ED Den Haag
tel./fax.: ++ (0)70 3515322
e-mail: steijn10@zonnet.nl
Introduction
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The American painter and water colorist Wilhelmina Douglas Hawley was born on the 13th of July 1860 in Perth Amboy, a small coastal town near New York. Her parents, the Canadian-born dancer Isabella Merritt (1838-1904) and the coast guard officer Peter Radcliffe Hawley (1829-1884) took up residence in the New York suburb of St. Albans, in the eastern part of Queens with their four children in 1867. As a girl of twelve, Wilhelmina spent a year traveling Europe with her grandparents. Around that time she started writing her journal. Two young aunts of Wilhelmina Georgina Agnes Merritt (1843 1918) and Florence Merritt (1847 1913) encouraged Wilhelmina to paint and start her artistic career. At the age of nineteen Wilhelmina enrolled in the Cooper Union Womens Art School, one of the New York art academies that is open to women. One year later she continued her training at the Art Students League where she she developed her work and eventually became the first woman vice-president of this progressive institution. Her teachers included William Merritt Chase, Julian Alden Weir, Charles Yardley Turner and Kenyon Cox. Wilhelmina also met many European artists while she studied in New York. In 1883 she met the Irish author Oscar Wilde (1854-1900) in New York. Wilhelminas journal tells us that she had several long talks about books, art, etc. with Wilde, while he was in the States during his American lecture-tour. Never be discouraged were the reassuring words of the Russian painter Vasily Vassilievich Vereschagin (1842-1904) as his reply to Wilhelmina when they met in 1888, and when she asked him what the first prerequisite of an artist should be. After spending the winter of 1892/1893 in Bermuda and breaking off her engagement with a mysterious Englishman, Wilhelmina decided to leave for Paris on 18 June 1892. At the age of 32 she crossed the Atlantic once more, but now for two years, or perhaps for ever, as she wrote in her diary. After arriving in Paris Wilhelmina registered at the Academie Julian, one of the two art academies in the city to which women and foreign students were admitted. She remained in the city for only a few days, since, on account of the summer holidays, the academies were still closed. Until the following October she traveled in Belgium and the Netherlands. On 4 July 1892 she paid her first visit to the Dutch village and artists colony Rijsoord (near Dordrecht) where various foreign artists and art students were active during the summer. In Paris Wilhelminas teachers included the French artists Paul-Joseph Blanc (1846-1904), Pierre Fritel (1853-1942), Benjamin Constant (1845-1902), Louis-Auguste Giradot (1856-1933) and Jean-Paul Laurens (1838-1921). In her first year Wilhelmina won the competition for best composition, in which every male and female Julian student took part. In 1891 the Canadian artist Laura Muntz (1860-1930) also traveled to Paris to study at the Academie Colarossi, where she met Wilhelmina in 1893. They would end up sharing the studio on Rue Notre-Dame-des-Champs 111. According to Wilhelminas journal, in 1893 her work was first selected for the Paris Salon. In 1893 Holland Peasant Girl, which Wilhelmina had painted in Rijsoord, was shown at the National Academy of Design in New York. That same year in Paris she met the American painter James Abbott McNeill Whistler (1834-1903), who proved to be her neighbor. From 1892 Whistler had lived in one of the other studios on Rue Notre-Dame-des-Champs, at number 86. According to family tradition, Wilhelmina and James became friends and regularly visited one anothers studios. During the summer months, she regularly made the journey from the French capital to the countryside, as well as the artists colony of Rijsoord in the southern Netherlands, where she captured the villagers in oils and watercolors. She continued her teaching at the Parisian Academie Colarossi in Rijsoord, where her students were American and European artists who spent their summers in the village. Rijsoord was well situated for passing travelers and became even more easily accessible after the so-called Koninklijke Straatweg der 1e klasse no. 7 (First-class royal highway no. 7) was opened in 1821. This Rijksstraatweg (State Highway) became an important European road that connected Paris to The Hague. An inn was constructed on the spot near the river Waal where the eighteenth-century tollhouse had stood. The building is still standing and for several years now has housed the restaurant Hermitage. When Wilhelmina first visited Rijsoord, the inn was called Hotel Warendorp. By the time Wilhelmina was introduced to Rijsoord small groups of American artists and students from Paris had already started visiting the village in the summer to paint. One of them was the artist John H. Vanderpoel (1857-1911), who was born Johannes van der Poel in the Dutch town of Haarlemmermeer. Before he and his family emigrated to America in 1869, his parents Jan van der Poel and Maria van Nes lived for some time in the Burghoeve on the Pruimendijk in Rijsoord. In 1889, at Waalweg 3. A cousin of John Vanderpoel, Volksje Noorlander and her husband built a new shelter for passing travelers and artists, called Pension Noorlander, which was located directly behind Hotel Warendorp. Hotel Warendorp functioned as the headquarters of the summer academy. The ground floor of the building comprised a livingroom, diningroom and a room for drinking coffee. Most of the guestrooms were also on the ground floor. On the floor above it, the large space under the roof was used as an artists studio, where the artists would hang their most recent paintings and watercolors for discussion. On rainy days, when it was impossible to work en plein air, the artists would actually work in the studio. In 1899 Wilhelmina first met the eight-year-younger Bastiaan de Koning (1868-1954), son of an old peasant family. She is thought to have met him during a boat trip on the river Waal. A number of villagers regularly rowed the artists who were staying in Hotel Warendorp and Pension Noorlander to the location of the day, along with their paraphernalia. The next summer, Wilhelmina went on to Rijsoord again, where she was engaged to Bastiaan de Koning shortly thereafter. They married in 1901. Three years later, in 1904, by which time Wilhelmina was 44 years old, their daughter Georgina Florence was born, and named after both of Wilhelminas favorite aunts. By that time she had been active in art for twenty-five years. Family life did not prevent her from staying abreast of exhibitions in Paris or visiting New York. Meanwhile, in 1915, the family engaged a young housekeeper, Geertruida van Nielen (ill. p. ..), who became the help and stay of the family. Trui (or Troy, as Wilhelmina called her) kept the household on course and looked after Georgy whenever the childs mother was away.In 1930 Wilhelminas daughter Georgy marries Hans van Dongen. With her son-in-law she traveled one last time to New York City, to take care of some family business. She takes this opportunity to visit her favorite museums, and to meet her brother, balloonist and early aviator Alan Hawley. Back in Rijsoord, Wilhelmina enjoyes the company of her six grandchildren, who often spend their summer holidays with her at the house. She continued recording her memories in her journal for many years, and her notes contains much else of interest, about the period of the Second World War for one thing. Wilhelmina supports the local community in any way she can. Shortly after the war, she donates some water colors to members of the community while thanking them for their help and food during the difficult years during the war. In 1958 she passes away at the amazing age of 97. A considerable number of paintings, water colors and drawings of her Paris and Rijsoord period have remained in the family. Her journal and works have inspired us to organize an retrospective exhibition and produce a book about Wilhelminas artistic career. The book is entitled Dromen van Rijsoord/Dreaming of Rijsoord. Wilhelmina Douglas Hawley 1860-1958 which was published in december 2005 in cooperation with the Bussum publisher Uitgeverij Thoth (see the page about the book for more information). |
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Artworks
List of artworks in family possession
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Nr 1 : Mountain landscape Gouache on carboard 9 x 12,8 cm Signed 'Minnie Hawley' Dated 1872 (Italy or Switzerland) Private collection Photographic reproductions by Floor van Dongen Nr 2 : Academic drawing of old man Charcoal on paper 62,2 x 45 cm Unsigned Dated 'Dec. 30 - 93' (1893, Paris) Private collection Photographic reproductions by Floor van Dongen Nr 3 : Academic drawing of young woman Charcoal on paper 61,7 x 47 cm Signed (backside) 'Hawley' Dated 'Jan. 13, 1894' (Paris) Private collection Photographic reproductions by Floor van Dongen Nr 4 : Academic drawing of black-haired woman Charcoal on paper 62 x 43 cm Unsigned Dated 'Dec - 1895' (Paris) Private collection Photographic reproductions by Floor van Dongen Nr 5 : Academic drawing of young man Charcoal on paper 64 x 45 cm Unsigned Undated (1893-1895, Paris) Private collection Photographic reproductions by Floor van Dongen Nr 6 : Academic drawing of young woman Charcoal on paper 64 x 45 cm Unsigned Undated (1893-1895, Paris) Private collection Photographic reproductions by Floor van Dongen Nr 7 : Academic drawing of young woman Charcoal on paper 62 x 45 cm Unsigned Undated (1893-1895, Paris) Private collection Photographic reproductions by Floor van Dongen |
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Nr 8 : Still-life with fishes, brass kettle and vinegar bottle Water color 35 x 71 cm Signed (on front) W.D. Hawley, and (on backside of frame) 111 Rue Nôtre Dame-des-Champs Wilhelmina Douglas Hawley Dated 1894 (Paris) Private collection Photographic reproductions by Floor van Dongen |
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Nr 9 : Tulips in vase Water color 42,5 x 68 cm Unsigned Undated (1892-1900, Paris) Private collection Photographic reproductions by Floor van Dongen |
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Nr 10 : Vase with roses Water color 28,5 x 37,5 cm Unsigned Undated (1892-1900, Paris) Private collection Photographic reproductions by Floor van Dongen |
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Nr 11 : Still-life with skillet, bottle, sugar jar and tomatoes Water color (pencil sketch on backside) 34 x 51 cm Unsigned Undated (1892-1900, Paris) Private collection Photographic reproductions by Floor van Dongen |
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Nr 12 : Still-life with melons Water color sketch 22 x 56 cm Unsigned Undated (1892-1900, Paris) Private collection Photographic reproductions by Floor van Dongen |
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Nr 13 : Self portrait Water color 25 x 30 cm Signed 'W.D. Hawley' Dated 1897 (Paris) Private collection Photographic reproductions by Floor van Dongen |
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Nr 14 : Oranges & Chianti Wine Pencil sketch 15 x 20 cm Unsigned Undated (1892-1900, Paris) Private collection Photographic reproductions by Floor van Dongen |
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Nr 15 : Seated woman smoking cigarette Water color 12,5 x 11 cm Unsigned Undated (1892-1900, Paris) Private collection Photographic reproductions by Floor van Dongen Nr 16 : Mary with child Water color (probably after Italian example) 30 x 9,6 cm Unsigned Undated (1892-1900) Private collection Photographic reproductions by Floor van Dongen Nr 17 : Dancing figures Water color (probably from fresco) 17 x 18 cm Unsigned Undated (1892-1900) Private collection Photographic reproductions by Floor van Dongen Nr 18 : Girl reading Pencil sketch 13,5 x 9 cm Signed 'W.D. Hawley' Undated (1892-1900) Private collection Photographic reproductions by Floor van Dongen Nr 19 : Portrait d'une fille de Louis XV en Versailles Pencil sketch 16,5 x 11,5 cm Unsigned Undated (1892-1900, Paris) Private collection Photographic reproductions by Floor van Dongen Nr 20 : Portrait de jeune femme Pencil sketch 16,5 x 11,5 cm Unsigned Undated (1892-1900, Paris) Private collection Photographic reproductions by Floor van Dongen Nr 21 : Portrait de femme Pencil sketch 16,5 x 11,5 cm Unsigned Undated (1892-1900, Paris) Private collection Photographic reproductions by Floor van Dongen Nr 22 : L'Étude Pencil sketch 16,5 x 11,5 cm Unsigned Undated (1892-1900, Paris) Private collection Photographic reproductions by Floor van Dongen Nr 23 : Down the Street Pencil sketch 21 x 13,5 cm Unsigned Undated (1894, Villefranche-sur-mer, South-France) Private collection Photographic reproductions by Floor van Dongen Nr 24 : Old Street Pencil sketch 21 x 13,3 cm Unsigned Undated (1894, Villefranche-sur-mer, South-France) Private collection Photographic reproductions by Floor van Dongen Nr 25 : From the bureau du Sants Pencil sketch 21 x 13,2 cm Unsigned Dated 'Oct. 29th, 94 Villefranche-sur-mer' (1894, South-France) Private collection Photographic reproductions by Floor van Dongen Nr 26 : From the road Pencil sketch (backside of 27) 21 x 13 cm Unsigned Undated (1894, Villefranche-sur-mer, South-France) Private collection Photographic reproductions by Floor van Dongen Nr 27 : Pierre and the oil jar Pencil sketch (backside of 26) 21 x 13 cm Unsigned Undated (1894, Villefranche-sur-mer, South-France) Private collection Photographic reproductions by Floor van Dongen Nr 28 : Pierre Pencil sketch 21 x 13 cm Unsigned Undated (1894, Villefranche-sur-mer, South-France) Private collection Photographic reproductions by Floor van Dongen Nr 29 : Morey [Moret?] Pencil sketch 21 x 12,6 cm Unsigned Dated 'Sept. 15th' (1894, Moret sur Loing, France) Private collection Photographic reproductions by Floor van Dongen Nr 30 : Landscape Water color 30,6 x 41 cm Unsigned Undated (1895 of 1896, Varangéville, at Dieppe, France) Private collection Photographic reproductions by Floor van Dongen Nr 31 : Landscape Water color 28 x 38,5 cm Unsigned Undated (1895 of 1896, Varangéville, at Dieppe, France) Private collection Photographic reproductions by Floor van Dongen Nr 32 : Landscape Water color 30 x 40 cm Unsigned Undated (1895 of 1896, Varangéville, at Dieppe, France) Private collection Photographic reproductions by Floor van Dongen Nr 33 : Coastal landscape Water color 11,8 x 14,1 cm Unsigned Undated (1895 of 1896, Varangéville, at Dieppe, France) Private collection Photographic reproductions by Floor van Dongen Nr 34 : Coastal landscape with sailing-boat Water color 13,5 x 19,5 cm Unsigned Undated (1895 of 1896, Varangéville, at Dieppe, France) Private collection Photographic reproductions by Floor van Dongen Nr 35 : Mother with child Water color (see accompanying pencil sketch nr 36) 38 x 29 cm Unsigned Undated (1892-1900, possibly France) Private collection Photographic reproductions by Floor van Dongen Nr 36 : Mother with child Pencil sketch (is pencil sketch of water color nr 35) 11 x 10 cm Unsigned Undated (1892-1900, possibly France) Private collection Photographic reproductions by Floor van Dongen |
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Nr 37 : Rose Water color 21,5 x 22 cm Signed 'W.D. Hawley' Dated Nice '95 (1895, Nice, South-France) Private collection Photographic reproductions by Floor van Dongen |
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Nr 38 : Two women near the river Waal Oil on canvas 73,5 x 61 cm Signed 'W.D. Hawley' Dated '94 (1894, Rijsoord) Private collection Photographic reproductions by Floor van Dongen |
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Nr 39 : Woman washing cloth in the river Waal Oil on canvas 59 x 44,5 cm Unsigned Undated (1892-1904, Rijsoord) Private collection Photographic reproductions by Floor van Dongen |
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Nr 40 : Young woman in meadow Oil on canvas 37,4 x 42,6 cm Unsigned Undated (1892-1904, Rijsoord) Private collection Photographic reproductions by Floor van Dongen |
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Nr 41 : Mother and child on the grass Oil on canvas 74 x 92 cm Unsigned Undated (1892-1904, Rijsoord) Private collection Photographic reproductions by Floor van Dongen |
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Nr 42 : Kitchen interior with mother, child and cat Oil on canvas 58 x 78,4 cm Unsigned Undated (1892-1904, Rijsoord) Private collection Photographic reproductions by Floor van Dongen Nr 43 : Farmer's interior with young woman and cat Oil on canvas 49 x 67 cm Unsigned Undated (1892-1904, Rijsoord) Private collection Photographic reproductions by Floor van Dongen |
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 Nr 44 : Interior with mother, two children and cat Oil on canvas 58 x 72 cm Unsigned Undated (1892-1904, Rijsoord) Private collection Photographic reproductions by Floor van Dongen |
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Nr 45 : The Cold Bath Water color (2nd version) 66 x 46 cm Signed 'W.D. Hawley' Dated '97 (1897, Rijsoord) Private collection Photographic reproductions by Floor van Dongen |
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Nr 46 : Meadow with flax sheaves Water color 32 x 47 cm Signed 'W.D. Hawley' Dated '98 (1898, Rijsoord) Private collection Photographic reproductions by Floor van Dongen Nr 47 : Woman on the waterfront Water color 50,5 x 34,5 cm Signed 'W.D. Hawley' Dated 'Holland 98' (1898, Rijsoord) Private collection Photographic reproductions by Floor van Dongen Nr 48 : Mill in landscape Water color 34,4 x 28,5 cm Signed 'W.D. Hawley' Dated '99 (1899, Rijsoord) Private collection Photographic reproductions by Floor van Dongen Nr 49 : Mill near the river Waal Water color 58 x 39 cm Signed 'W.D. Hawley' Dated '99 (1899, Rijsoord) Private collection Photographic reproductions by Floor van Dongen Nr 50 : Old man smoking pipe - Piet Molendijk Water color 25 x 17,8 cm Signed 'W.H. de Koning' Undated (ca. 1904, Rijsoord) Private collection Photographic reproductions by Floor van Dongen |
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Nr 51 : Portrait of Rijsoord woman Water color 38 x 27 cm Unsigned Undated (1892-1904, Rijsoord) Private collection Photographic reproductions by Floor van Dongen Nr 52 : Knitting girl in meadow Water color 55 x 38 cm Unsigned Undated (1892-1904, Rijsoord) Private collection Photographic reproductions by Floor van Dongen Nr 53 : Knitting girl in meadow Water color 55 x 38 cm Unsigned Undated (1892-1904, Rijsoord) Private collection Photographic reproductions by Floor van Dongen Nr 54 : Woman in rowing boat Water color 55 x 38 cm Signed 'W.D. Hawley' Undated (1892-1904, Rijsoord) Private collection Photographic reproductions by Floor van Dongen Nr 55 : Woman near the river Waal Water color 27 x 26,2 cm Unsigned Undated (1892-1904, Rijsoord) Private collection Photographic reproductions by Floor van Dongen Nr 56 : Mientje van Nes rippling flax Water color 60 x 32 cm Unsigned Undated (1892-1904, Rijsoord) Private collection Photographic reproductions by Floor van Dongen |
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Nr 57 : Young woman in kitchen Water color 36 x 18,7 cm Unsigned Undated (1892-1904, Rijsoord) Private collection Photographic reproductions by Floor van Dongen Nr 58 : Woman in door opening with milk jug Water color 43,4 x 19,8 cm Signed 'W.D. Hawley Rijsoord' Undated (1892-1904, Rijsoord) Private collection Photographic reproductions by Floor van Dongen |
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Nr 59 : Scything Farmer in meadow Water color sketch 12,5 x 21,2 cm Unsigned Undated (1892-1904, Rijsoord) Private collection Photographic reproductions by Floor van Dongen |
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Nr 60 : Scything farmer in meadow Water color sketch 12,5 x 21,2 cm Unsigned Undated (1892-1904, Rijsoord) Private collection Photographic reproductions by Floor van Dongen |
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Nr 61 : Water-lilies Water color 22,3 x 30 cm Signed 'W.D. Hawley' Undated (1892-1904, Rijsoord) Private collection Photographic reproductions by Floor van Dongen |
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Nr 62 : Mother with child taking a walk Pencil sketch 22 x 15,8 cm Unsigned Undated (1892-1904, Rijsoord) Private collection Photographic reproductions by Floor van Dongen |
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Nr 63 : Mother with child taking a walk Pencil sketch 22 x 16 cm Unsigned Undated (1892-1904, Rijsoord) Private collection Photographic reproductions by Floor van Dongen Nr 64 : Man and woman with agricultural implements Pencil sketch 22 x 15,5 cm Unsigned Undated (1892-1904, Rijsoord) Private collection Photographic reproductions by Floor van Dongen Nr 65 : Mother with Child Pencil sketch 13,5 x 10,1 cm Unsigned Undated (1892-1904, Rijsoord) Private collection Photographic reproductions by Floor van Dongen |
Book
Dreaming of Rijsoord
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The accompanying book, "Dreaming of Rijsoord", Wilhelmina Douglas Hawley (1860-1958)" written by Alexandra Gaba-van Dongen, will be available on the 17th of December 2005. Published by Uitgeverij Thoth, Bussum. 128 pages, salesprice EUR 25.00. You can order the book by sending an email to info@wdhawley.org. The book is also available in the museum stores in the Panorama Mesdag and Oudheidkamer Ridderkerk during the time the exhibition is on display there.  |
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Reviews
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Radio Rijnmond interview with Alexandra Gaba-van Dongen over Wilhelmina Douglas Hawley (sound fragment in Dutch) Algemeen Dagblad, Zuidrand, December 9th, 2005.  |
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Algemeen Dagblad, December 15th, 2005. |
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Algemeen Dagblad, December 20th 2005. |
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De Combinatie, December 29th, 2005. |
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Volkskrant, December 30th, 2005. |
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Algemeen Dagblad, December 31st, 2005. |
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De Telegraaf, January 19th 2006. |
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Algemeen Dagblad, Zuidrand, 8 February 2006. |
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Kunst & Antiek Revue Nr. 8, February/March 2006. |
Links
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Credits
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Website text: Alexandra Gaba-van Dongen Photographic reproductions: Floor van Dongen Website design & programming: Costyn van Dongen All images en photographs on this website copyright 2005 Floor van Dongen Website made with:  |
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Contact Information
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To contact us, send an email to: info@wdhawley.org. |
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