Artist

Herman Brood

Herman Brood (1946–2001) was not only a musician but also one of the most prolific visual artists of the Netherlands. His colourful, raw and expressive paintings — full of pop icons, animals and self-portraits — remain much loved. At Kunstuitleen.nl you can rent or buy work by Herman Brood and try it free at home.

41 artworks in our collection

Hermanus Brood was born on November 5, 1946, in Zwolle and began his music career at the age of 17, after dropping out of the Arnhem Academy of Art. As a keyboardist for the Arnhem band The Moans, Brood toured extensively on the German nightclub circuit, where the foundations were laid for his excessive drinking and drug use. In the late 1960s, Brood was a member of the legendary Drenthe blues band Cuby + Blizzards.

In the late 1970s, Brood launched an extremely successful solo career. Brood’s manic lifestyle culminated in the albums *Street* and *Shpritsz*, which have since been hailed as Nederpop classics. An attempt to achieve success in America failed miserably and heralded the decline of Brood’s musical career.

In the 1980s and 1990s, Brood primarily established himself as a visual artist. His drawings, silkscreen prints, and action paintings were eagerly embraced by a wide audience. Brood enjoyed cultivating his image as an incorrigible “son of all mothers” and did not hesitate to turn his private life into a public spectacle through the tabloid press and TV appearances.

Due to Brood’s unabated heavy drinking and drug use, his physical condition became so alarming that there were fears for his life. In the final year of his life, the second volume of Brood’s biography, written by his friend Bart Chabot, was published, significantly titled *Broodje Halfom*. Brood himself surprised his listeners with an excellent final album, *Ciao Monkey*, on which he already alluded to the end of his life.

On July 11, 2001, Brood decided that his body was “worn out” and his zest for life had vanished. He ended his life by jumping from the roof of the Hilton Hotel in Amsterdam. A rock ’n’ roll legend is no longer with us, but he leaves his mark in the form of a varied and extensive body of work and a richly documented life story.

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Artwork by Herman Brood