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George Claessen

1909 – 1999

Sri Lankan artist

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About George Claessen

Lived 1909 – 1999 (aged 89). George Claessen was a Sri Lankan painter and poet.

George Claessen (5 May 1909 – 1 May 1999) was a Sri Lankan artist and poet whose art was characterised by his mystical outlook and beliefs. He was a founding member of the Colombo '43 Group.

Biography Claessen was born in Colombo and was a largely self-taught artist who began to paint professionally when, aged 29, he joined the Colombo Port Commission as a draughtsman. In 1943 Claessen was among the founding members of the Colombo '43 Group, who embraced modern European artistic forms over traditional Sri Lankan forms. During World War II the War Artists' Advisory Committee acquired a work by Claessen under a scheme for artworks by colonial artists. Claessen's painting was displayed at the National Gallery in London during 1945.

In 1947 Claessen had a solo show at the Velasquez Gallery in Melbourne by which point he was painting in a purely abstract manner.

Throughout his life Claessen continued to work at the Colombo Port Commission until his retirement and also published several volumes of poetry. A memorial exhibition was held in 2000.

Published works Poems of a Painter (1967) Poems about Nothing (1981) Collected Poems (1995)

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Important facts

Birth century
Died
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Also known as
Pasquale Claessen

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped George Claessen's

Frequently asked questions

Who was George Claessen?

Sri Lankan artist

When was George Claessen born?

George Claessen was born on 5 May 1909 in Colombo.

When did George Claessen die?

George Claessen died on 1 May 1999.

What was George Claessen's occupation?

George Claessen was a painter and poet.

What nationality was George Claessen?

George Claessen was Sri Lankan.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: George Claessen

· Wikidata: Q21288965

· DBpedia: George Claessen

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). George Claessen. https://biography.guide/george-claessen/

MLA: "George Claessen." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/george-claessen/.

Chicago: "George Claessen." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/george-claessen/.

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