This book will not be for everyone. A solidly researched and written book, Debra Dean has provided an invaluable reference into the life of artist Jan Yoors. The relationships behind the artist, and women who have gone uncredited for creating and assisting in his work, are finally revealed. The odd family configuration is stunningly unconventional, and while the author tries to mollify readers by presenting this in a clinical wording, it again, will not appeal to everyone. This book will shatter many perceptions about the artist and the role of women in its creation.

I found this to be an inspiring and moving biography about the Flemish artist Jan Yoors (1922 - 1977) and his life. He grew up the son of a stained glass artist and took off while very young with a band of Rom gypsies by accident and kept going for months. He enjoyed it so much that he did it again every year for all but the winter months for the next 10 years and felt torn between the two worlds after learning their ways and language.

But then when WWII came it changed everything about his life, nearly destroying both sides of it.
Yoors became involved as a resistance fighter and undercover agent. He later went on to design and was known for his many finely crafted wool tapestries in New York; along with his many sketches and drawings, he made a film, did photography, sculpted and wrote books. But he was probably best known other than for the tapestries, for having two wives and that for the most part, it was part of the tapestry business and rather successfully handled.

He picked up many languages during his life and made friends all over the world during his travels, but especially in New York. Yoors believed in all races and cultures trying to get along in friendship. I’ve already tracked down one of his books titled “CROSSING. A Journal of Survival and Resistance in World War II“ from 1972, and look forward to getting it read also. An advance digital copy was provided by NetGalley and the author Debra Dean for my review.

Northwestern University Press
Publication date April 1, 2018

Hidden Tapestry
Jan Yoors • His Two Wives • And The War That Made Them One

Hidden Tapestry by Debra Dean is a brilliantly detailed research rich docu-drama about the life and loves of tapestry artist, photographer, humanitarian and WWII war hero Jan Yoors. She digs deep into his colorful history from his childhood in Belgium, the son of a social reformer mother and an artist father - to his time with the Romani Gypsies - his clandestine participation in the WWII Resistance much of which isn’t documented because of the sensitive nature of the information and lack of documentation - to his post war immigration to NYC - the multiple women he loved and their Bohemian and at the same time urbane lifestyle in the artists dream location of Greenwich Village - to his health struggles and his untimely death in 1977 at the much too early age of fifty-five - and finally what the women in his life did to continue celebrating his life posthumously. He was exceptional yet flawed, complicated yet understandable, he was unconventional to some and immoral to others but first and foremost he was a man who loved life.
This is a non-fictional account yet it’s fantastically fluent, following a comprehensive chronological timeline and reads more like a fictionalized story even with a lot of critical and crucial information. It will definitely raise some eyebrows, there will be some surprises and lovers of both fiction and non-fiction, memoirs and individualistic characters will love it.

one man two wives many mistresses a life of incredible art shared between them. this book is a wonderfully elaborate story though true as a tapestry beautifully woven together that lets you dream of the life and love they shared. for me highly recommended and I am looking forward to researching jans work further.