The portraits of photographer C. Barton van Flymen

Sunday 1 April 2018, 14:07 by Michelle Peeters | 9,507 views | 0 comments

This article was translated from Dutch with the help of AI. Read the original.

In his book Portraits, a hefty volume of more than 300 pages, you can see the lively portraits that C. Barton van Flymen (1944) took of artists, politicians, writers, sporting heroes, actors, musicians, pop stars and more.

The photographer who photographed the best of the best in the Netherlands from 1968 is still very much active, in both life and photography. Every photo in the book comes with an anecdote.

There is always something happening in his portraits: Hugo Claus lies beside his pregnant girlfriend, film star Sylvia Kristel is on a hotel bed and Ruud Gullit cheers in the bath after the European Championship match against Germany that the Netherlands won.

Actress Sylvia Kristel and writer Hugo Claus. Photo: C. Barton van Flymen
He portrayed everyone who seemed important enough to fill the columns of a newspaper or illustrated magazine. He is a photojournalist and sports photographer, but above all a portrait photographer. He worked for newspapers and magazines such as Avenue and Nieuwe Revue, and travelled the world for them.

He took news photos and social documentary series, followed the Tour de France for many years and covered other sporting events.

In this way, he captured emerging talent for decades. Artists, politicians, writers, sporting heroes, actors, musicians, pop stars, and people who were loved or hated by the general public.

Claudio Chiapucci, Nelli Coman, Enith Brigitha, Jacques Brel and Liesbeth List
His photos from the seventies and eighties, when no manager or agent was involved in photo shoots yet, are by far the best. But that may of course also be down to the overwhelming power of nostalgia.

He took this wonderful photo of Ruud Gullit in 1988, in the bath, just after the historic victory of the Dutch national team over Germany. Well, we were successful in our eastern neighbours' country back then.

He found Ruud Gullit in a bathroom and said: 'Ruud, quickly lie down in that bath'. Someone was already banging hard on the door.

Footballer Ruud Gullit 1988. Photo: C. Barton van Flymen
He decided to become a photographer in the sixties, after meeting photographer Wim Renes. Until then, he had been drifting a little: he was the bassist in a pop band and worked through an employment agency.

Born in Johannesburg in 1944, he came to the Netherlands at the age of 18 because he did not want to live in apartheid-era South Africa.

Rick de Leeuw, Herman Brood, Tante Leen and Johnny Kraaijkamp senior. Photos: C. Barton van Flymen
Who actually remembers them? Look at the magnificent Citroën DS in that photo from 1971, at a time when they were still rolling fresh out of the factory. Cabaret great Wim Sonneveld and staff member Corrie van Gorp are in the back seat, with Willem Nijholt, wearing a fur coat, in the front.

Wim Sonneveld, Corrie van Gorp and Willem Nijholt. Photo: C. Barton van Flymen
His photographic style evolved over the years. He explored different paths and did not shy away from experimentation. Yet his signature is clearly present in all the photos.

Actor Kees Brusse, 1976. Photo: C. Barton van Flymen
As a photographer, he is always hunting for the moment, he said in a radio interview following the publication of his book Portraits.

Look at the young Marco van Basten on the eve of some of the finest sporting moments of that decade and all the decades that followed. We did not know that at the time.

Bono, Marco van Basten, Frank Zappa and Johan Cruijff
Prime Minister Van Agt lights a fresh cigar, and next to it you can see the portrait of the Wiegel couple, the future Minister of the Interior.

Hans Wiegel is sitting at the table, looking worried as he reads a letter. The photo was taken in 1975, and five years later his wife Pien would die in a car accident.

Politician Dries van Agt and politician Hans Wiegel and his wife Pien Frederiks, 1975. Photos: C. Barton van Flymen
Her hand rests on his shoulder and they appear to have been drinking coffee. A fine mess, with a large envelope and a full ashtray as its centrepiece. Photos like this are no longer taken, not of emerging political stars or actors, and not of sportspeople.

These days, a spin doctor or agent would immediately step in and remove the ashtray. For starters.

Theo van Gogh, writer Joost Zwagerman, André Hazes and Mary Servaes. Photo: C. Barton van Flymen

Price and where to buy it

The book is available from Bol.com, among others, and costs 49.50 euros. You can also see an exhibition of his work at Galerie Hooffzaak, from 10 March to 30 April. Address: Haarlemmerdijk 54hs, Amsterdam.

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