ABOUT

“I paint places that speak softly and stay with you.”
I’m Hans Leentvaar, a Dutch painter who has called Japan home for over 40 years. My artistic journey began later in life, not by design, but by discovery — a quiet unfolding of something that had always lived within me. What started as a private practice has grown into a deeply fulfilling pursuit: capturing landscapes, myths, and memories in oil and color.
Much of my work is rooted in Tochigi Prefecture, where traditional architecture, ancient forests, and sacred ponds have become quiet companions to my brush. I also find inspiration in places closer to my heart — like the tropical rivers of Mindanao in the Philippines, where my wife grew up, and the winding canals of the Netherlands, where I spent my early years.
I am especially drawn to the tension between stillness and movement — whether through the curl of a Hokusai wave, the distortion of Escher’s space, or the bold emotional honesty of Van Gogh. These influences are not copied, but felt — woven into my own way of seeing.
Every painting begins in silence. It may come from a memory, a walk, a story, or simply the way the light touches a leaf. Some works are plein air impressions. Others are imagined scenes where myth and reality drift together.
This gallery is not just a collection of paintings. It’s a map of the places I’ve loved, the myths I’ve carried, and the life I continue to live — with brush in hand.
Thank you for stepping into this world with me.
Hans