Anneke Elhorst

Anneke Elhorst (Aalsmeer, 1950) is a Dutch visual artist who primarily paints objects from her immediate surroundings. Everyday subjects such as fruit, bowls and household objects form the starting point for her often large-scale paintings. By playing with scale, perspective and empty space, she gives these familiar objects a new meaning and creates a quiet, almost magical atmosphere.

Characteristic of Anneke Elhorst’s work is the way in which she greatly enlarges objects and removes them from their everyday context. A bowl, apple or pear therefore becomes more than part of a still life and takes on a monumental presence of its own. The restrained compositions and carefully considered proportions give her paintings a sense of familiarity while also making them feel subtly unfamiliar.

Contemporary still lifes by Anneke Elhorst

Anneke Elhorst’s paintings can be described as contemporary or modern still lifes. While traditional still lifes often consist of multiple objects within richly detailed compositions, Anneke instead chooses simplicity, space and enlargement. Perspective and empty space are just as important as the painted object itself.

Many of her works are executed in oil on linen and are generous in scale. These dimensions give simple subjects a strong visual presence, while the overall composition remains calm and balanced. It is precisely this combination of monumentality and stillness that makes her paintings so recognisable within her body of work.