All the information contained on this website is from Jean's personal correspondence with his patrons & family,
collated by Noel and Rachael Orval.
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Private Commission
Holland
"Asclepius"
Greek God of Medicine, Healing, Rejuvenation and Physicians.
Private Collection, Holland
"The Crucifixion"
Private Collection, Holland
"Selection of Company Logos & Sketches from Europe"
Private Collection, Hamilton, Victoria
"Portrait 1"
Pencil Drawing, Holland - 1941
Private Collection, Warrnambool, Victoria
"Portrait 2"
Pencil Drawing, Holland - 1941
Private Collection, Warrnambool, Victoria
Before Jean and his family immigrated
to Australia in 1953, one of the last
major projects he undertook in Holland
was a series of windows for the new
Roman Catholic Church in Deest, Holland.
The old parish church, built in 1858 was
destroyed in the Second World War. A
new church was designed by architect,
Hendrik Christiaan van de Leur and was
built without the first tower. Some years
later the tower was constructed according
to the original plans. It is a typical late
work by van de Leur, where he only goes
back to traditionalism. The church consists
of a nave - basilica in style, a recessed
entrance on the west side, a round closed
chancel and a transept on the south side.
The transept is also the base of the tower
on the south east side of the church. In
the tower there is a loud bell of P. Trier
and J. Philipsen from 1640, and a
mechanical clock tower. On the south
side of the front is a circular baptistery,
covered by a round tent roof.
Jean completed numerous cartoons for
the complete composition, some of which
are shown here. There are 4 other windows
to be catalogued (which we are aware of) and we are in the process of obtaining more photos and history pertaining to the windows which will be added to the site in the near future. In the interim, some of the photos above are actually cartoons which Jean submitted for approval for the church before the commission commenced. Many thanks to our relatives Truusje & Wiel Steeghs, who visited the church to take the coloured photos for us.
"Windmill"
A spectacular artist even at an early age, this ink and watercolour composition of Jean's was completed when he was only 11, in 1922.
Private Collection, Melbourne, Vic.
During the 1930s-40s Jean developed his talents in the commercial and graphic arts.
He travelled regularly to Maastrict as window dresser, ticket writer and display artist for boutiques as supplement to his income while teaching students, furthering his artistic education.
From his address in Muntstraat, Tegelen in the early 1940s, Jean’s reputation grew exponentially as industry keenly sought his expertise and ideas.
Business logos and trading brands he created became National and International badges designed by Jean in his modest office. Some of these insignias are still used today and are testament to another legacy from a time long past.
Jean's appetite for creativity has taken many forms. His Ex-Libris bookmarks and industry logos are now counted in the hundreds.
The 1940s saw his talents and legacy include the publication and design layout of industry booklets, anecdotal cartoons [comics] commercial menus, graphic advertising campaigns, designing stained glass windows for public buildings, shops, churches and private homes. He designed an illustrated book form photo album for Her Royal Highness Queen Juliana of Holland and the mayor of Venlo at the time, a programme of festivities for the Bishop of Roermond, National diaries which were published for the high schools of Holland amongst the many other private and public commissions.
Jean's artistic talent was much more than just stained glass, but this medium was the catalyst and natural pathway of his coming to the lucky country - Australia.
Footnote: Jean wrote in the 1960s …. Fame was easy to achieve but had little satisfaction, however sufficient respect, like on the continent, does not come with it.
- Noel Orval
Dad's Graphic Achievements ...
Jean had a few options as to where to immigrate, those being Johannesburg, South Africa and Rio de Janiro, Brazil, but ultimately decided on the Western District of Victoria. The family departed on the Johan Van Oldenbarnevelt on October 10, 1953 for the voyage that would take 4 weeks and saw them arrive at the Melbourne docks on Melbourne Cup day, 1953.
The ship they travelled on was the largest diesel powered ship ever constructed in Holland when she was launched in August 1929. She became popular amongst Dutch immigrants to Australia. She was specifically built to serve the trade route between Holland and Indonesia (then the Dutch East Indies) but as WWII came, she was commanded by the British as a troop carrier.
Returning to the migrant trade in 1950 after refurbishment to carry 1414 passengers, she made a total of 44 voyages to Melbourne. When her immigration travels ended, she was sold to Greek interests and renamed the TSMS Lakonia and again refitted. Leaving Southampton, England on December 19, 1963 on an 11 day "Christmas Cruise" around the Canary Islands, fire engulfed the entire ship when she was 180 miles north of the island of Madeira on December 22. With many ships coming to her rescue, very little could be done to save her and all the passengers on board, with the loss of 128 lives. Two tugs tried to tow the stricken vessel back to port but she sank on December 29, 400 kilometres west of Gibraltar.
The Orval's first home in Australia was at "Woodbine", near Killarney where the family lived under extreme conditions with no floors, little food and only modest prospects for work conducive to Jean's talents. Jean worked for a time at Myers in Melbourne as a window dresser, where he had to catch a train from Warrnambool, as well as working at Fletcher Jones in Warrnambool, also as a window dresser/signwriter. In 1955, the family moved to a house in James Street, Port Fairy where Jean was employed as a house painter. He then travelled back to Melbourne for three months where he worked for Brooks Robinson, but became disillusioned with the mass production of ecclesia and found little support for the individual artist to branch out with their own visions and designs. The family then moved to Hamilton in 1956 where he was employed with John Thomson & Co as window dresser and ticket writer/signwriter. He also taught Art and Art Technique at Hamilton High School as a supplement to his income at John Thomson & Co, until he was able to obtain enough ecclesiastical and private commissions to keep him and his family going.
Jean found it difficult to cultivate a living through stained glass in Australia, and was on many occasions taken advantage of because of his honesty and good nature. However, he was able to succeed in a niche market that enabled him put most of his children through the Australian school system and go on to realise their potential in their chosen careers. When Jean retired in 1975, Jean and Phine moved to Bullengarook near Bacchus Marsh, where he was able to indulge his love of nature and fauna. He still completed the occasional church and private commission, but his inclination to be completely absorbed in the profession by this time had waned. In 1986, the children built a home in Mt Napier Road for Jean and Phine, so they could be nearer to their family in their twilight years. However when they were to move in to their new home, Jean suddenly had an aneurysm and passed away March 27, 1987. Phine joined him on April 5, 1994.
"Portrait - Willem van Hooren"
Pencil Drawing, Holland - 1946
Private Collection, Holland
"Jesus with Mary"
Oil Painting, Holland,
completed when Jean was just 16 - 1927
Private Collection, Holland
"Portrait - Mia Smits"
Pencil Drawing, Holland - 1946
Private Collection, Ballarat
"Portrait - Mia Smits"
Pencil Drawing, Holland - 1945
Private Collection, Ballarat
"Ceres"
Charcoal Template of Stained Glass Window, Holland - 1950
Private Collection, Dunkeld
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