Biography

1864	Henricus Jacobus (Henk) Tollens is born on 13 June at Visstraat 19 in Dordrecht. His parents are Carolus Henricus Tollens, a brass founder in Dordrecht, and Hendrina Wilhelmina Tollens-Stoffels.
1881-’82	Tollens becomes an apprentice to the photographer Karel Le Grand. Very soon after, he switches from Le Grand to the photographer J.G. Hameter, who owns a studio at Voorstraat 289 in Dordrecht.
1884	On 10 October, Tollens becomes a member of the ‘Teekengenootschap Pictura’ (‘Drawing Society Pictura’) in Dordrecht.
1885	On 1 January, J.G. Hameter dies. Hameter’s widow names Tollens as the photo studio’s operating manager.
1888	In Lübeck, Germany, Tollens earns the ‘association diploma’ of the DPV (Deutsche Photographen Verein, ‘German Photographers Association’) with his photograph Aardappelschillen (‘Potato Peels’).
1889	On 14 February, Tollens marries Geertruida Johanna Teeuwen. From this marriage, one son and six daughters are born.
1890	On 14 February, Tollens officially takes over Hameter’s company. He continues to include Hameter in the company name up until 1896.
	On 17 April, the NFV (Nederlandsche Fotografen-Vereeniging, ‘Netherlands Photographers Association’) is founded in Amsterdam. Tollens is one of the twenty-eight co-founders.
1895	On 4 June, an affiliate studio opens in Eindhoven at Nieuwstraat B 295, under the name ‘Firma J.G. Hameter’. The photographer Carl Joseph Schuhmacher (born on 7 September 1866 in Caub, Germany) becomes the head of the filial and is registered in the population register of Eindhoven starting on 15 July. At this time, Tollens already has another affiliate studio on the Godsweerdersingel (house number unknown) in Roermond. The precise date when this filial opened is not known. In any event, Tollens is known to have worked from the Hotel Kleijn in Roermond as his base after 1891.
1904	In early February of this year, Tollens becomes a member of the NFK (Nederlandse Fotografen Kunstkring, ‘Netherlands Photographers Art Society’).
	Emil Muns (The Hague 28 October 1878 – 22 October 1964 Zaandam) becomes the director of the affiliate studio in Eindhoven.
1910	On 26 April, Tollens acquires a parcel of land at the corner of the Vrieseplein and the Spuihaven in Dordrecht. He has a house built on these premises, which includes a photography studio.
1910-’11	Tollens’ daughter, Wilhelmina (Dordrecht 17 May 1893-31 January 1965 Rotterdam), studies to become a photographic laboratory technician in Germany, initially under ‘Frau Feilner’ in Oldenburg, and starting on 19 February 1911 with Rudolf Lichtenberg in Osnabruck.
1911	On 1 May, Tollens’ studio on the Vrieseplein opens. His daughter has returned from Germany and works with her father in the studio, as shown in a photo taken on 12 July.
	Starting in this year, the affiliate in Roermond is no longer mentioned in Tollens’ printed matter.
1913	Tollens sells his affiliate in Eindhoven to the photographer Hermanus Gregorius Maria van Beurden (Tilburg 11 March 1888 – 29 July 1932 Eindhoven).
1920	Geertruida Tollens dies on 26 March in Dordrecht.
1923	On 18 April, Tollens sell his complex on the Vrieseplein as well as his archive to the photographers Hermanus Johannes Eickholt and Hermanus Gerardus Beerman. This does not include his negatives shot on behalf of the Lips Company. On 1 May, Eickholt and Beerman reopen Tollens’ studio under the name ‘Atelier Schreurs’ (named after the photographer André Schreurs, who serves as a guarantor for a portion of the mortage payments).
	Tollens moves to the Wijnstraat Syrood in Dordrecht. He cancels his membership with Pictura. He is likely to have done the same with the NAFV (Nederlandse Amateur Fotografen Vereniging, ‘Netherlands Amateur Photographers Association’), the NFK (Nederlandse Fotografen Kunstkring, ‘Netherlands Photographers Art Society’), the DPV, and the Dordrechtsche Kunstkring (‘Dordrecht Art Society’, established in 1897), as it appears he is slowly but surely breaking all of his ties with the field of photography and the city of Dordrecht in general.
1924	On 1 May, Tollens moves into the home of his daughter Wilhelmina and her family in Nijmegen.
1928	On 28 April, Tollens moves to Hillegersberg.
1929-’36	Tollens lives with Wilhelmina in Gdansk, Poland (1929), thereafter in The Hague (1930), for one or two years in Voorburg, and for a short period of time with his other daughter, Cornelia (Dordrecht 10 November 1895–14 November 1970 Amsterdam), in Beek (in the vicinity of Nijmegen). From 1932 on, Tollens lives at various addresses in Hillegersberg, including Julianalaan 7 (1934) and Berglustlaan 40a (1935).
1936	On 29 July, Tollens dies in Hillegersberg. On 1 August, he is laid to rest in the family grave at the Roman Catholic cemetery in Dordrecht.
	Eickholt hands the photo studio over to Beerman, who subsequently changes the name to ‘fotoatelier Beerman’ (‘Beerman Photo Studio’).

Discussion

Henricus Jacobus Tollens was from a family with two religious backgrounds: his father was Catholic, his mother Dutch Reformed. Tollens himself married a woman who was also Dutch Reformed and continued to uphold the liberal religious beliefs he grew up with in bringing up his own children.

According to the family, Tollens was an engaging, friendly, and hospitable person. He was extremely persistent and knew exactly what he wanted. As a photographer, he led a productive life and enjoyed a substantial income. This is evident not only in the vast amount of work he left behind, but also demonstrated by his ability to build a large complex on the Vrieseplein in Dordrecht. Tollens also ensured his children received a good education. Four daughters attended a boarding school in Oudenbosch, with two later attending the HBS (Hogere Burgerschool, an upper-level secondary school programme). Tollens’ only son attended the MTS (Middelbare Technische School, ‘Intermediate Technical School’).

At the age of seventeen, Tollens began as an apprentice for Karel Le Grand, a photographer in Dordrecht. For reasons unknown, he left soon after. Next, Tollens became an apprentice to the photographer J.G. Hameter, who ran his own photo studio on the Voorstraat in Dordrecht. It was here that Tollens received his training as a photographer, along with Carl Emil Mögle.

When Hameter died in 1885, Tollens became the studio’s operations manager. This is according to a contractual agreement for the period of five years and three months, signed on 26 September between Tollens and Hameter’s widow. In 1890, he took over the studio officially. For business purposes, Tollens continued to include Hameter’s name on his own logo until 1896, imprinted on the studio’s photo cardboard mounts. His acumen in business and public relations is also evident in his various designs for cardboard photo mounts—he was perceptibly keeping up with the times—and in the large number of picture postcards bearing his name. That Tollens was good at managing his business affairs may also be concluded from the fact that, by as early as 1895, he had already established affiliates in Eindhoven and Roermond, in addition to his main studio in Dordrecht. He eventually sold these studios shortly after moving into his building on the Vrieseplein.

In 1910, Tollens purchased a parcel of land at the corner of the Vrieseplein and the Spuihaven in Dordrecht. On this parcel he built a house with a studio, arranged completely according to the requirements and desires of a professional photographer in his day. The studio was not furnished with a glass roof, as was customary prior to this time, but instead equipped with large, north-facing windows. Tollens was therefore in no way impeded by sunlight shining directly into his studio and able to do his work in uniform light. It also prevented the space from heating up due to a greenhouse effect. In 1911, the building was completed and the studio was moved from Voorstraat 289 to Vrieseplein 1.

Tollens’ daughter Wilhelmina worked at the studio on the Vrieseplein. She was the only child that ever worked in the photography business. For the rest, nothing is known about how many people were employed by Tollens, nor in what way the various tasks of the business were delegated. In 1923, Tollens stopped with photography altogether and sold the entire complex to the photographers Eickholt en Beerman, who opened the studio under the name of ‘Schreurs’ on 1 May of the same year. In the final years of his life, Tollens devoted his time to painting.

Tollens was one of the first photographers in the Netherlands to traverse the path of photographic art. In 1888, he was awarded the diploma of the DPV (Deutsche Photographen Verein, ‘German Photographers Association’) for his photo Aardappelschillen (‘Potato Peels’). It was his first award, with the photo being praised for its innovative composition. In 1923, the photographer and writer Wieger Idzerda included Tollens’ photo in his book Neerland’s fotokunst. Bloemlezing uit Nederlandsche kunstfoto’s (‘Netherlands Photo Art. Anthology of Dutch Art Photos’), in relation to the introduction of art photography in the Netherlands. Idzerda wrote: ‘The renaissance now, the renewed revival of the art photo, first possibly began in our country with H.J. Tollens C.Hzn. in 1888 (…)’. Specifically referring to the photo Aardappelschillen, he continued: ‘He [Tollens] deviated from his colleagues in the free composition and the distinctive choice of motif, then a daring experiment.’ The innovative idea of the photo may perhaps have arisen through the influence of developments from abroad. A familiarity with German photographic art is conceivable, based on the contacts that Tollens maintained with a German photography association. Tangible examples of comparable photography, however, are lacking. Tollens may have also been aware of events taking place in the United Kingdom in the area of photography—especially the work and the ideas of the photographer Peter Henry Emerson—via magazines. In 1908, Adriaan Boer wrote about Tollens’ familiarity with developments abroad in his article ‘De man en zijn werk’ (‘The Man and His Work’), published in the magazine De Camera: ‘He was (…) continually keeping himself up-to-date on everything that was happening, and his field of view extends [sic] far beyond our borders.’ Certain compositional and visual elements in Tollens’ photos—for instance, a high horizon, the distance to someone being depicted, and the use of relative sharpness (sometimes noticeably in the foreground)—are indeed reminiscent of Emerson’s work and vision. Sources to verify such similarities to a further extent, however, are lacking. Publicly, Tollens never spoke about photography. There are no known annotations or writings that might delineate his ideas and influences, whether directly or indirectly.

Tollens was greatly interested in painting and perhaps this was where he chiefly found his inspiration. He was a member of the Teekengenootschap Pictura (‘Drawing Society Pictura’) and the Dordrechtsche Kunstkring (‘Dordrecht Art Society’), he had paintings in his home, he painted himself, and he was familiar with the painters of The Hague School. The rural subjects and compositional themes encountered in his work frequently correspond to the paintings of this latter group. On a side note, however, it must be observed that subjects such as country life, because of their romanticism, were extremely popular in art and literature at the time—a sentiment intensified by the growing awareness of society’s increasing industrialisation.

During his days as an apprentice to Hameter, Tollens had learned to master the technique of manual photographic processing. From the descriptions of his art photos in the press, one may conclude that he at least retouched them. In Tollens’ professional work, by contrast, no retouching is perceivable. These photos are less ‘pictorial’.

Tollens was adept at various photographic processes, including Hochheimer gum printing, (combination) gum printing, gelatin silver printing and—especially for his professional photography—platinum and carbon printing techniques. In the Netherlands, professional photographers rarely applied gum printing. Tollens was one of the few, along with Adriaan Boer, Henri Berssenbrugge, and Franz Ziegler. The press devoted special attention to Tollens’ skill in the gum printing technique. He carefully considered which process was to be applied, based on the representation, the theme, and the atmosphere.

The photographic equipment in Tollens’ possession is recorded in an inventory list from 1920. Among the items mentioned are his cameras (with formats and accessories), various rinsing trays, a mounting press, an enlarging device, a ‘smoke catcher’ for artificial lighting, a glossing device, a supply of negatives and cardboard mounts, as well as a backdrop installation.

Tollens’ pictorial photos are known only through reproductions in the Dutch photography magazines Lux, De Camera, and Het Leven (‘Life’) from the year 1908. None of the original prints produced with fine printing (‘edele’) processes and shown at exhibitions have survived. These are certain to have been great in number, however, when taking account of comments made by Adriaan Boer in his editorial article ‘Onze platen’ (‘Our Plates’), featured in the 23 December 1908 of De Camera: ‘Instead of “Potato Peels”, we could most certainly have chosen a more beautiful photo from Tollens’ large collection, but none more remarkable (…)’. Due to the nature of the visual material passed down—extremely diverse, usually undated, with the prints in most cases being merely proofs—it is impossible to make a well-founded assessment with respect to the photographic development and the qualities of his work. Tollens produced landscapes, cityscapes, and portraits. Picture postcards and negatives make up the majority of the cityscapes; of the landscape photos, only prints (proofs) are known. Virtually all of the portrait shots date from before 1911, produced as carte-de-visite and cabinet card portraits. A number of these can be seen in the interior shots that Tollens took of his building on the Vrieseplein. In these interior photos, portrait enlargements and pictorial-style landscape photos can be recognised. They provide an impression of the charming and artistic work that Tollens produced. Most of the surviving examples of his work are predominantly documental in nature.

Tollens also worked for a number of industrial clients, including Albers Creameries Limited and ‘NV Lips Brandkasten en Slotenfabriek’ (‘Strong-Boxes and Locks Manufacturer’). For this latter firm, he photographed the company’s managers and employees, tests conducted with fire safes, as well as design drawings. The resulting negatives were not found among the inventory that accompanied the sale of the building on the Vrieseplein in 1923. Their current whereabouts are unknown.

Tollens’ early art photos were praised chiefly for their atmosphere, e.g. the low angle of the sun breaking through the clouds and the backlighting effect in his photo Zandkarren (‘Sand Carts’), and the dreamy atmosphere of the photo Stadsgezicht Dordt (‘Cityscape Dordrecht’). According to Adriaan Boer’s description of Zandkarren in De Camera of 23 December 1908, the photo was an enlargement with the dimensions 40 x 50 cm, printed on warm brownish-black Hochheimer film paper, well-suited to the mood of an old, smoky city. The photo De Ploeger (‘The Plowman’) was an enlargement on smooth platinum film paper, which, as Boer described it, befitted the airy atmosphere of the early morning light.

Only six of Tollens’ art photos are known to have survived, preserved in contemporary photography magazines. As this small number is all that remains, little can be said regarding the full scope of his photographic art production. Following this—presumably brief—period of Pictorialism, Tollens took chiefly photos of everyday life, both in the city as well as the country. The street scenes portray a picture of geniality and vivaciousness; they are not overly busy or overpopulated. The people in these photos never appear stiff, though when considering the exposure time required, they are likely to have been obliged to pose in front of the camera. Topographic negatives have been preserved at the Dordrecht City Archives. They include street scenes, the Grote Kerk (‘The Church of Our Lady’), house facades, and the harbours of Dordrecht. Tollens’ photos of Dordrecht are of good quality and numerous in quantity, presenting a clear picture of the city at this time.

From 1910 on, Tollens’ photos of the city in particular begin to show a characteristic sharpness. The remarkable clarity, subtle contrasts, his mastery of (back-) lighting, and balanced compositions are typical of his work. They also reveal solid craftsmanship. Contrary to his early pictorial photography, however, one finds no striving for innovation.

In his early days, Tollens took several remarkable photos. These received the attention of the press and led to a number of awards. His work was shown at exhibitions that were important for the appreciation and acceptance of Dutch photography, both nationally and internationally (Genoa in 1905 and Dresden in 1909). Nevertheless, Tollens himself never figured prominently, preferring a background role instead.

Tollens participated more frequently in exhibitions held in Germany, as opposed to the Netherlands. As his activities were limited solely to events organised by the DPV, however, there is no suggestion that he leaned more towards developments there. What one can say is that Tollens received awards with greater frequency—and of higher distinction—at the German exhibitions. He was rarely just a participant and was often a ‘member of the jury’ as well, holding organisational positions at exhibitions on a regular basis. Through his membership in the DPV, Tollens exercised an influence on the evaluation of photographic work in Germany, albeit limited to the small group of those participating in the DPV exhibitions.

The photography press at the time was usually positive when it came to assessing the quality of Tollens’ exhibited work. After attending the Internationale tentoonstelling tot bevordering der fotografie (‘International Exhibition for the Promotion of Photography’) in 1891, held at the Militiezaal (‘Militia Hall’) in Amsterdam, an unnamed author in the magazine Lux (in all likelihood the magazine’s chief editor, Chris J. Schuver) observed the following: ‘A good entry that deserves mention is certainly that of the firm Tollens of Dordrecht, particularly the Dutch landscapes, which convey a somewhat impressionistic stance (but fortunately not exaggerated); only we think it’s too bad that, here as well, the retouching draws a bit too much attention, though it has been applied tastefully.’ About Tollens’ photo Zandkarren, Boer wrote in De Camera in 1908: ‘(…) a superior work, brutal in its conception but very favourably depicted.’ Reference is also made to Tollens’ fondness for photography. This emerges in one of the few statements known to have made by him: ‘(…) I would not be happy if I could not photograph.’ (Adriaan Boer in De Camera of 1908).

After 1912, Tollens’ name is no longer mentioned in the Dutch or German press. Judging by the manner in which he was quoted by Boer in De Camera in 1908, it would appear that Tollens was most preoccupied with running a profitable business: ‘(…) in order to make a living as an ‘art photographer’, you have to be an extremely good salesman as well (…)’. Photography associations and the further development of his artistic photography were presumably no longer his top priority. Tollens did, however, continue to photograph the activities at Pictura and the Dordrechtsche Kunstkring, thus contributing to the documentation of cultural life in Dordrecht.

Tollens’ significance for Dutch photography lies more than anything in his contribution to the emergence of photographic art through the entries that he made to exhibitions and the attention this work received in the press. He was also able to exercise a certain influence through his jury participation and his membership in the NFV (Nederlandsche Fotografen-Vereeniging, ‘Netherlands Photographers Association’, as a founding member), the NAFV (Nederlandse Amateur Fotografen Vereniging, ‘Netherlands Amateur Photographers Association’), and the NFK (Nederlandse Fotografen Kunstkring, ‘Netherlands Photographers Art Society’).

Apart from the special artistic accomplishments achieved during the early part of his career, the importance of Tollens’ photographic oeuvre also lies in the area of his skilful and extensive photographic registration of the city where he lived, Dordrecht.

Documentation