DutchNews.nl - DutchNews.nl brings daily news from The Netherlands in English

21 May 2025
Newsletter Donate Advertise
  • News
  • Life in the Netherlands
  • Jobs
  • Podcast
  • About us
  • Search
  • Home
  • Economy
  • Art and culture
  • Sport
  • Europe
  • Society
  • Environment
  • Health
  • Housing
  • Education
  • News
    • Home
    • Economy
    • Art and culture
    • Sport
    • Europe
    • Society
    • Environment
    • Health
    • Housing
    • Education
  • Life in the Netherlands
    • Latest
    • Opinion
    • Books
    • Travel
    • 10 Questions
    • Learning Dutch
    • Inburgering with DN
    • Food & Drink
    • Ask us anything
  • Jobs
  • Podcast
  • About us
    • Team
    • Donate
    • Advertise
    • Writing for Dutch News
    • Contact us
    • Privacy
    • Newsletter
  • Search

Dutch photographer Erwin Olaf dies at 64

September 21, 2023
Erwin Olaf ontvangt is honoured by the king. Photo: ANP / Hollandse Hoogte / Frank van Beek

Tributes have been pouring in for internationally acclaimed Dutch photographer Erwin Olaf whose death at 64 was announced on Wednesday.

Olaf, who suffered from a hereditary form of emphysema, had recently had a lung transplant. Seemingly on the way to recovery, he collapsed just weeks later, a representative of the family said in a statement.

Olaf became internationally famous for his black and white series Chessmen, peopled by naked figures in quirky tableaux. It earned him the Photographer of the Year award in 1988.

The naked body, with all its imperfections but always meticulously posed, lit and framed, was one of the hallmarks of his work, as was his homosexuality and taste for controversy.

His series Royal Blood depicted the blood spattered body of a woman, not long after the accident that cost princess Diana her life, as well as other depictions of royals who had come to a sticky end.

Olaf did not shy away from making political statements. The attacks on Charlie Hebdo and the theatre venue Bataclan in 2015 inspired a series of photographs decrying terrorism.

Olaf also made the official state portraits of the Dutch royal family, as part of his later, less exuberant work. The king said in a message he thanks Olaf for his friendship.

“We think of him with great affection and are thankful for the work he leaves behind and the many special moments we shared with him,” the king said. Olaf was made a Kinight in the Order of the Dutch Lion on his 60th birthday and awarded the royal Medal of Honor for Art and Science in 2023.

Belgian fellow photographer Stephan Vanfleteren, who portrayed Olaf various times and participated in an exhibition to celebrate the bicentenary of the Mauritshuis in 2022 with him, said he was “a photographer and film maker but also a visual poet, a thinker and a visionary.

“He had an open mind, a warm heart but his lungs were to weak to keep him with us any longer.”

Share this article
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • Reddit
  • Copy URL
Art and culture
Thank you for donating to DutchNews.nl.

We could not provide the Dutch News service, and keep it free of charge, without the generous support of our readers. Your donations allow us to report on issues you tell us matter, and provide you with a summary of the most important Dutch news each day.

Make a donation
Latest
Show more
Police confirm bodies in car are missing children and father
EU to review Israel agreement over Gaza crisis after Dutch push
"The Netherlands is innovative yet surprisingly traditional"
Drents Museum helmet heist "was ordered by Romanian gangsters"
Dutch households advised to stash away €70 in cash per adult
NewsHomeEconomyArt and cultureSportEuropeSocietyEnvironmentHealthHousingEducation
Life in the NetherlandsLatestOpinionBooksTravel10 QuestionsLearning DutchInburgering with DNFood & DrinkAsk us anything
About usTeamDonateAdvertiseWriting for Dutch NewsContact usPrivacyNewsletter
© 2025 DutchNews | Cookie settings

Help us to keep providing you information about coronavirus in the Netherlands.

Many thanks to everyone who has donated to DutchNews.nl in recent days!

We could not provide this service without you. If you have not yet made a contribution, you can do so here.

The DutchNews.nl team

Donate now

Dutchnews Survey

Please help us making DutchNews.nl a better read by taking part in a short survey.

Take part now