Draft:Ad Verdonk

Adrianus Maria Theodorus (Ad) Verdonk (Woensel, 17 December 1894 – Woerden, 20 September 1977) was a Dutch painter and advertising artist. He signed his works AD. VERDONK.

Life and work
Adriaan or Ad Verdonk was a son of goldsmith Petrus Lambertus Henricus (Piet) Verdonk (1862-1944) and Petronella van Rooij. Like his brother Jan Verdonk and cousin Petrus Adrianus (Piet) Verdonk, who both later became sculptors, he was educated at the Royal_Academy_of_Arts_and_Design_('s-Hertogenbosch) in 's Hertogenbosch. He was taught by Piet Slager and Frans Kops.

In 1921 Father Verdonk had taken over the firm of his late teacher Joseph Jonkergouw in 's-Hertogenbosch. Together with his father and brother, Ad made decorative objects for Catholic churches. However, he chose painting, reportedly against his father's wishes. He painted portrait, (floral)still life, historical subjects and also taught painting them. In 1930 he settled in the city of Groningen.

Verdonk exhibited several times, including during solo exhibitions at Pictura (1936, 1946). In July 1941 he was co-founder and secretary of the Groningsche Beeldende Kunstenaars association, with Willy van Marle as chairman and Thees Meesters as treasurer. Later that year the Nederlandsche Kultuurkamer was established. Verdonk showed his work at a number of exhibitions organized by the Kultuurkamer in Groningen and Leeuwarden. After the war he lived and worked in Zwolle (1952-1954), Enschede (1954-1964) and Amsterdam (from 1964).

selected works

 * black and white illustrations for: E.J. Huizenga-Onnekes (1939) Het menschelijk leven in 't Groninger land (Human life on the Groningen country side). Assen: Van Gorcum & Comp. 119 p.
 * portrait of Queen Juliana for the municipality of Kampen
 * two murals for N.V. Lona Golfkarton (1957) in Loenen, one depicting Chinese paper production, the other depicting a French paper mill.