Twee met de hand beschilderde melkkanes met bijpassende trechterdop door de Nederlandse kunstenaar Hein van Well, gesigneerd en gedateerd 1980, in vintage Nederlandse volksrealistische stijl uit de periode 1970-1980, circa 75 cm hoog en 8 kg, met lichte gebruikssporen en in goede vintage staat.



Exceptional hand-painted milk can (with matching funnel lid) by Dutch artist Hein van Well (signed and dated 1980).A unique and historically significant piece of Dutch rural folk art, created during Van Well’s early career — when he earned his living through commissioned paintings on milk cans, portraits and landscapes.This piece was commissioned by a milk transporter from the Kempen region (North Brabant), who spent his life collecting milk from local farms by horse and cart until motorised transport replaced this traditional craft.He asked Van Well to immortalise his profession on one of his own used milk cans, including its rare funnel top — a type used for pouring into factory tanks rather than household delivery.The can still carries subtle dents and traces of real use, yet Van Well’s masterful technique makes them nearly invisible; only by touch or close inspection do you sense the life and labour embedded in the metal.It’s a poetic double meaning: the artwork conceals the wear, just as time softens the memory of work and devotion.Depicted are pastoral scenes with cows, meadows and a shepherd with sheep, rendered in Van Well’s characteristic realistic style — the same style represented in Museum De Peelstreek (Ysselsteyn, Netherlands).Most of Van Well’s painted milk cans did not survive, as they were displayed outdoors and succumbed to the Dutch weather.This one did, because it was kept indoors for decades as a personal tribute.Documented evidence of Van Well’s commissioned work can be found in the local newspaper Peel en Maas (5 May 1988), where he advertised his services for “portraits, landscapes and milk churns in commission.”A rare survivor of a nearly vanished tradition and a heartfelt piece of Dutch cultural heritage.---Details Artist: Hein van Well (Netherlands) Signed & dated: H.V. Well 1980 Material: Hand-painted metal (oil/acrylic, varnished) Style: Vintage / Dutch folk realism Dimensions: approx. 75 cm height Condition: Very good vintage condition, minor wear consistent with age and use Provenance: Private commission by a milk transporter from the Kempen region (North Brabant). Painted by Hein van Well as part of his early commissioned work on milk cans. Artist’s paintings are represented in Museum De Peelstreek, Ysselsteyn (NL); newspaper documentation (Peel en Maas, 5 May 1988) confirms his commissioned services.


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