The Knitter – where art, fashion and history come together

The Knitter

The Knitter is a work by Hans Withoos. The knitter knits herself (her own dress). The celosia flower represents boldness and courage; the knitter looks straight at the viewer with all her strength. The dress emerges directly from the background, with the pattern emerging from the centerpiece. The pattern in the dress is reduced to three colors, a typical 1970s combination, which is also reflected in the braid in her hair.

The knitted fabric was created by Hans Withoos in collaboration with fashion designer Michael Bernard van Bergen. Among other things, he helped determine the right pixels and convert the desired colors. The fabric was specially knitted by Breilab, after which Karin Terwisse constructed the dress.

The work consists of three layers. The background shows a work by Matthias Withoos, pushed back in color. It is a modern interpretation of the traditional 17th-century Dutch still-life genre known as sottobosco (Italian for “brushwood”). Between the layers are celosias placed on branches of sycamores, combined with beautifully colored moss that nicely complements the sea green hue in the dress. In the foreground is the model knitting her own dress. By the way, this model has been approached by some of the best modeling agencies in the Netherlands, but chooses to complete her studies in microbiology.

Mathias Withoos, “Forest still life with a polecat and its booty in a river landscape. Oil on canvas, before 1672. Joint purchase by Oudheidkundige Vereniging Flehite in Amersfoort and Westfries Museum in Hoorn.

Hans Withoos

Hans Withoos (born 1962) is a photographer known for his stylized and layered images. In his project Withoos meets Withoos, he combines the still lifes and cityscapes of his famous 17th-century ancestor Matthias Withoos with contemporary, sometimes surrealist photography. By adding flowers, fish, birds and models, the original paintings come back to life, creating a modern interpretation of the historical genre.

His work was featured in the exhibition Withoos meets Withoos at the Westfries Museum in Hoorn in 2018, among others. He was also part of the exhibition Other Light on Withoos – Three Generations of Withoos at Museum Flehite in 2022, which also featured the painting children of Matthias Withoos.
Short film by Hans Withoos: The World of Withoos.

Making Milky Waves II

Making Milky Waves II shows a hushed model for a composite landscape, constructed from references to the oeuvre of Matthias Withoos. Hoorn, Italy and Amersfoort merge into one image, suggesting origin, journey and history. Read more.

View the entire collection of Hans Withoos.

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