Johan Coenraad ('Jan') Altorf (The Hague, 1876 - The Hague, 1955) was born the son of a carpenter. His artistry must have been noticed when he was apprenticed to a chair maker, who may have taught him to carve (animal) ornaments for furniture. After college he worked as a sculptor in stone, wood, ivory, ceramics and bronze. Great collectors such as Mrs. Kröller-Müller and Rotterdam 'harbor barons' regularly bought work from him. His vision of form is remarkable: the subjects are analyzed in parts that, in Altorf's view, are most characteristic of the representation of the given. By selecting the parts in such a way, reducing them and bringing them back together again, he builds images that express only the most essential. This sleek design is also ideal for decorative work in crafts. Although he is often known as a sculptor who concentrates on animal figures (especially monkeys and birds), he has also made portraits and furniture.
