Leo Jansen

Who was Leo Jansen?

Leo Jansen was a Dutch artist known for his portraits.

Born in the Netherlands, moved to the Dutch East Indies when he was ten. There in the tropics, he began his craft by sketching bronze-skinned Indonesian girls for leisure. He returned to the Netherlands to study at the Academy of Art, to refine his growing mastery of the female figures. Like most continental artists, he gravitated first to Paris and quickly established himself as a portraitist of considerable talent. In 1962, he arrived in New York. Because of the softness and light he infused his portraits, he was chosen by several companies to do commemorative plates. Jansen is, perhaps, best known throughout the United States and Europe for his mother's day plates and puppies plate series.

Many of the rich and famous sought out Jansen for his portraiture skills, Jansen's sitting fee in the 1960 was US$20,000. In addition, he also gained fame for his portraiture of The Beatles and The Rolling Stones. His Beatles portraits are among the more collectible memorabilia by fans. He was in great demand in the Los Angeles galleries, but sold primarily through Aaron Brothers.