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Kees Maks

1876 – 1967

Dutch painter

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About Kees Maks

Lived 1876 – 1967 (aged 91). Kees Maks was a Dutch painter, draftsperson and watercolorist.

Cornelis Johannes Maks (August 22, 1876 – October 28, 1967), known as Kees Maks, was a Dutch painter born in Amsterdam.

He studied for a time at the Rijksakademie in Amsterdam, before becoming a pupil of George Hendrik Breitner. Maks exhibited internationally. He participated in the Munich Secession exhibitions of 1910, 1911, 1912 and 1914; and he exhibited regularly in Paris in the Salon d'Automne between 1910 and 1940. Maks' work was included in the 1939 exhibition and sale Onze Kunst van Heden (Our Art of Today) at the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam.

While in the interbellum the avant-garde spread its influence through Europe, many artists returned to a neo-classical figuration that became known as ‘Retour a l’ordre’. These figurative artists, including Maks and his friend Kees van Dongen, gained considerable popularity, especially in Paris. Maks was known for his paintings of the fashionable night life. Circus acts, dancing couples and garden parties were until then unknown themes in Dutch art. The buoyant subjects and the frivolous way of painting, in simplified masses of bright, strong colors, impressed the public. Together with Kees van Dongen and Jan Sluijters Maks's works were appreciated for their modern character.

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Important facts

Birth century
Education
Rijksakademie van beeldende kunsten
Awards
Royal medal made available by queen Wilhelmina
Also known as
Cornelis Johannes Maks, Cees Maks

People in Kees Maks's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Kees Maks's

Frequently asked questions

Who was Kees Maks?

Dutch painter (1876-1967)

When was Kees Maks born?

Kees Maks was born on 22 August 1876 in Amsterdam.

When did Kees Maks die?

Kees Maks died on 28 October 1967 in Amsterdam.

What was Kees Maks's occupation?

Kees Maks was a painter, draftsperson and watercolorist.

What nationality was Kees Maks?

Kees Maks was Dutch.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Kees Maks

· Wikidata: Q2463676

· DBpedia: Kees Maks

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Kees Maks. https://biography.guide/kees-maks/

MLA: "Kees Maks." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/kees-maks/.

Chicago: "Kees Maks." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/kees-maks/.

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