BALLARI: Noted Dutch artist Robert Geesink passed away at the Vijayanagara Institute of Medical Sciences (VIMS) here on Friday after a brief illness. He was 74.
Geesink, who was living in Hampi for the past four decades, suffered from breathing problems for several days. He is survived by his wife and four children.
Geesink was a known name in the villages around Hampi and among the art lovers for his paintings that depict the beauty of Hampi and the life of people around it. A native of Amsterdam in The Netherlands, Geesink arrived in India in 1970s and travelled across the country. As his father was also an artist, his interest towards painting had made him to pursue it as a career.
In his initial days in India, he lived with the saints in the northern parts. When he travelled south, Geesink was told about Hampi and then travelled to the historical site. He married a Lambani woman and lived amidst rocks in Hampi, painting the beauty of the land. Geesink was also a saxophone player.