Vlaanderen, Cornelis André (sold)

Cornelis André Vlaanderen (September 1, 1881 - August 5, 1955) was a Dutch artist and graphic artist. He was born in Amsterdam to an unknown father and his mother died on July 10, 1833, leaving him orphaned. He went to the 'Hospice Wallon' (Waals Gereformeerd Weeshuis) in Amsterdam, where he lived until he turned 18 in 1899. He attended primary and secondary school in Amsterdam. He worked in the architectural firm of Eduard Cuypers from 1899 until 1905, and taught classes at the Quellinus School of Applied Arts in Amsterdam from 1904 until 1910. He left Cuypers firm in 1905 to open his own business and began designing advertising for the Gazelle Rijwielfabriek (a bicycle manufacturer) not long afterwards. It is estimated that he created at least 500 advertisements for Gazelle between 1914 and 1929. He even designed Gazelle's logo and headset plate. Vlaanderen was drafted into the Dutch Army on March 12, 1901, and was assigned to the 7th Infantry Regiment. He was still in the army when the Netherlands mobilized their forces to fight World War I. Vlaanderen moved to Belgium in August 1929. He first settled in Ghent and in August 1930 moved to the suburbs of Bruges (Brugge). He lived in Bruges from 1939 until his death at Spiegelrei 23. He married his first wife (whom he knew from the orphanage), Augusta Varangot (1892 - 1976), on November 1, 1906, with whom he had two children. The couple divorced on June 30, 1916, and Vlaanderen married his second wife, Petronella Andringa (1882 - 1948) on July 20, 1886, with whom he had three children.