As the story goes, there is a strong woman next to every important artist. Zulma De Nijs was everything to Roger Raveel. Or, as Hugo Claus, the long-time family friend, put it in that one line from his poem Voor de poort [In front of the gate]: 'To be present, that is enough.' And she has been, both in the artist's life and in his oeuvre.
After their wedding in 1948, Zulma provided the income with her shop in Machelen-aan-de-Leie. This allowed Roger to paint in a studio furnished by his father in the attic. There, masterpieces such as Four white posts in my garden (1948), Man in front of blue wall with a black cat (1953), Woman with red arm (1949) and Woman with revolver (1950) were created.
Later too, Zulma featured in countless drawings, etchings and paintings. She hardly needed to pose. He knew how to portray her freehand. Zulma at the table, playing cards, solving a crossword puzzle, at the window looking at the studio, and so on.
She always stood up for her Roger. Critics who wrote negatively about Raveel could expect to be scolded. Raveel always remained grateful to her for this. When her health declined later in life, he took care of her. He often took her to his studio, where she sat next to him while he worked.
Zulma. Muse and manager is an ultimate tribute to the exceptional woman who was not only muse but also manager avant la lettre for Roger Raveel. Her name will therefore remain forever linked to Raveel's work.
This unique exhibition is on display at Roger Raveel Museum from February 11 until May 5 2024. A book of the same name will accompany the exhibition and will be available at the opening on Sunday February 11.
Main Image :Vrouw, Roger Raveel, 1949
Anna Melnykova, "Palace of Labor (palats praci), architector I. Pretro, 1916", shot with analog Canon camera, 35 mm Fuji film in March 2022.
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