Daan van Golden (Rotterdam, the Netherlands, 1936 – 2017) was initially trained as a machine bench worker, then received painting lessons from the Jesuits, and went through the art academy in Rotterdam in the late 1950s. A great artistic leap followed in the 1960s: he began a pioneering body of work in which he elevated everyday patterns, on wrapping paper and handkerchiefs, to art. Van Golden became one of Hollands best-known pop art artists. That pop art flourished precisely in Rotterdam is due to the international character of the port city in which Van Golden grew up. He chose a more subdued style with slightly different sources of inspiration. He traveled widely, especially in Asia, looking especially to Japan. In 1968 he was invited to participate in Documenta in Kassel, and again in 1999. Daan van Golden is considered one of the most important Dutch artists and his work has been shown in many international museums.
