© Els Vlieger Portrait of Hannie and her daughters
This piece was commissioned by Irene, the little girl on the left, to commemorate her beloved mother Hannie. In the photo from the late 1970s, taken in Normandy, we see her older sister and mother next to her.
Hannie was a French teacher and a great lover of France and Paris in particular. When she was only 21, she left for Paris for a while to study at the Sorbonne and work as an au pair. This was in 1960. She kept careful records of her adventures in a diary, and stuck in plenty of entrance tickets to museums and the opera and receipts for tasty ice creams.
Irene sent me some of these vintage ephemera to choose from and I incorporated a few in the artwork. I carefully selected the page from the exhibition catalogue that I used as the background of the drawing. The 1938 exhibition in the Stedelijk Museum in Amsterdam was – quite appropriately – about 100 years of French art.
Super happy with this beautiful illustration by Els! Cherished memories of my sweet, adventurous mom come together so beautifully here. It is a tribute to her love and knowledge of French language and culture that my sister and I inherited. Sublimely designed by Els with great attention to detail.
If you’re interested in having your family photos turned into these nostalgic and personal keepsakes check out my shop. There are various formulas possible.
