Today, I came across two very different pictures. One an oil and the other a watercolour. Both lovely and yet very different in style.
Frelser Kirke, Christianshavn, Copenhagen by Chr F Beck 1947
oil on canvas
The oil painting is by Belgian artist Christian Frederick Beck 1876 – 1954. Beck is better known for his many early landscape paintings with motifs from the Randers area, and in recent topographic architecture pictures in which he especially cultivated motifs from Christianshavn.This picture is of the interior of Frelser Kirke (Our Saviours Church) Copenhagen. Signed and dated 1947. It shows the pulpit , pews and some of the alter designed by Nicodemus Tessin. The church is one of Denmark’s major tourist attractions with it’s twisted spire. It is a national treasure and a living parish church to some 8000 people.
My second picture today is a street in Paris. A watercolour by the artist DRYZE and dated 1979. Depicting a Paris street in winter (hence the barren trees) its’ lines and colours convince one of the dull cold and yet with the expectation of life inside the structures pictured. A space awaiting its’ fulfilment, a space soon to awaken with life.
A Paris Street Scene by DRYZE 1979
watercolour
Since posting this, I have been contacted by several people with information as to who Dryze was. His real name was Michel Frydzinski and sadly he passed away in 1990. For many years he lived off the Sacre Coeur near Place du Tertre where he worked in Rue Lamarck. He had a regular stall in Montmartre and painted scenes of the Normandy coast as well as his beloved Paris. He was French by birth and Polish by descent. An artist sadly missed but remembered through his expressive art.
ronsartblog 
I found a DRYZE Paris scene recently and love the style however i wanted to know more about the artist and cannot find anything. Do you know anything about him/her at all as i would be graetful for any information you have. Or perhaps you know of someone who may be able to help?? Many thanks Lucy
Dear Lucy
I also love the style but all of my research efforts have proved futile in regards to finding information regarding the artist. I continue in my search for information
regarding the artist and will pass it on to you if I am successful.
Ron
Bonjour . Je suis la coeur de Michel frydzinski. Mon frere est decede en 1980. Je suis tres heureuse de voir que Mon frere etait apprecie.a bientot d avoir de vous nouvelles.
Thank you. Michel was a fine artist.
I came across your query about Dryze which you posted in Aug 2012. I have started to research him but come up with nothing. I have a painting by him I purchased in Paris in 1983 which I cherish.
Did you find anything about him?
Regards
Just updated my blog in regards to the artist Dryze. Information should be of interest.
have 4 by this guy . 78 & 86 love the style also.
morning ron, just found a water colour by dryze as well looked him up on the net and found your post please pass on some information as well , montmarte is the title of mine thanks
craig
I have a painting by Dryze from 1980 when I was 20 on my first visit to Paris with my fiancee. It depicts the street leading up to Sacre Coeur in the background. I bought it directly from him on his stall on the streets on Monmartre. He said he used a palette knife to apply the paint. I wonder what happened to him.
I have found little information in regards to the artist so am not able to add
anything to your knowledge.
Im guessing this is possibly too late to reply, but Dryze was my uncle ! My mother (his sister Francoise) googled his name out of pure curiosty. His name is actually Michel Frydzinski and he sadly passed away years ago, and is sorely missed by us all. His mother Nathalie is still alive and living in a town not far from Paris. We visit her often. We have many of his wonderful paintings hanging on our walls and in my Nannys house. Its heart warming to know he is not forgotten and his wonderful paintings still live on. He was an amazing character and loved by many. If you want any information please dont hesitate to ask.
Thank you for the information. I have just updated my blog chapter on your uncle, Michel Frydzinski.
Hello my name is Francoise Pearce nee frydzinski. I read your comments.they touched me.sadly my brother passed away 25 years ago.I’m so happy you appreciate his paintings.best regards.
Thank you. Your brother was a fine artist.
Did anyone find out more about DRUZE or how paintings? Also have a Paris street scene done in 1980. Beautiful work!
Just updated my blog chapter on Dryze. Should be of interest.
Hi All,
I did comment quite a few months back but not sure why my comments haven’t popped up! Michel was my uncle, he sadly passed away many years back. He was such a character with a wonderful free spirit. I go back to my France regularly to see my nan (Michel mum) who’s still alive and well and living in a small town outside of Paris, his sister Francoise now lives in England. His paintings were beautiful and my nan and mum have many on their walls. If you have anymore questions please feel free to ask me and I’ll forward them onto my mum (his sister) It pleases me that his work is still being appreciated all these years on😊🤓
Just updated my blog chapter in regards to the artist Dryze. Should be of interest.
Hello All,
Michel Dryze was my friend in the early eighties, 33 years ago. He must have been in his late forties, early fifties then. He lived just off the Sacre Coeur near Place du Tertre where he worked, in the Rue Lamarck.
I cannot find anything online about him, he might have passed away or moved abroad.
i have one painting by him and it is very dear to me.
Sorry I could not be of more help.
Thanks for the information. I will update my blog chapter in regards to Michel.
Hello kitty.i am Francoise Michel sister. Sadly he died in 1990 at the age of 44. I find it very comforting to know people are still remembering him. He was a great person.sadly missed. I would like to hear more about you. How you met .the people you knew. For you know serge et Patricia? X
Hi Françoise,
I met Michel on the place du tertre when he was working there. I looked him up whenever I visited and have been to his house for dinner. I was an aupair at the time. I bought one of his paintings. I remember him fondly but do not know any of his other friends.
Kind regards,
Kitty
Hi,
I can shed a little light, as Dryze was my wife’s uncle, Michel Frydzinski (1946-1990). He lived & worked in Paris around 1975-1990, where he painted many scenes and had a regular stall in Montmartre. He also liked to paint scenes on the Normandy coast. He was French by birth and Polish by descent. My wife’s family speak of him with very fond memories and he is much missed. It is lovely to see people beyond his family still enjoying his work.
If anyone who posted the previous messages some 4 years ago is reading, do feel free to ask me any questions and I will answer if I can.
Matt.
Thanks for the information. It is of interest to myself and others.
Thanks for the information! I love the Paris scene I have from 1980 and it is in a prominent place in my home. Simple serenity – 💗
Thank you everyone for your lovely comments. I saw one of my daughter’s and my son in law wrote to you.you can contact any of us if you need more informations. Me and all my family have paintings of Michel in our houses.so sad to have lost him.xx
Hello kitty. Thank you for your answer.so nice to know Michel was appreciated. He would be so happy. X
Chr. F. Beck, born 1876, was a Danish(!) painter who kept stringently to the naturalistic and national romantic genre. Among his other tasks was an assignment as secretary (1948-53) for the group of painters representing ‘National art’ as they did not favour impressionism, cubism etc. The quality of his art is supreme with regard to architectural and interior still settings, but is perhaps not quite on par with the previous masters in the field when it comes to creating an environment with live character(s). I and my family own 4 of his works spanning over the period from 1908 till 1932, covering pictures of venues in Copenhagen and Stockholm. He died in 1954.
I met Michel during my 1 visit to Paris from the US in 1981. We went to dinner. He was very kind & gave me 1 of his paintings, which is still hanging on the wall of my Arizona home today.
I was very sorry to hear that he died in 1990.
Good morning Marylin,
This is so lovely to hear, I love hearing stories about him, he was such a wonderful and taleneted man, he was my uncle and is very much missed.❤️