Piet Deunhouwer (Utrecht 1928) was an illustrator/advertising artist at the Academy of Visual Arts, first in Rotterdam and then in The Hague. Initially he wanted to become a cartoonist. During his search for a suitable studio space, he ended up in Friesland. His wife made tapestries, which, like his work, sold well, including to the Holland America Line. Despite his move to Friesland, Piet remained active in the art scene and regularly exhibited in Pulchri Studio. These exhibitions earned him new commissions, including many portraits. Although he was much in demand as a portraitist, he was less enthusiastic about this branch of his work. He said: “A good portrait reveals something of the inner psychology of the person depicted. I am more of a caricaturist, with a keen eye for appearances.”

Through his appointment as a teacher at the Andreas College in Drachten and the many drawing courses he gave, he managed to convey a love for art and drawing to his students. One of his well-known works was the advertising comic Dick Gabel and the flying saucers of Saturn in 3D, made for the Santos chewing gum and coffee factory from Breda.In his paintings, Denhouwer combined reality with a rich, unbridled fantasy. As a result, his work is often considered surrealism. Yet he felt less at home within that label. Denhouwer was inspired by grandmasters such as Hieronymus Bosch and Carel Willink, but he preferred to call himself a fairy-tale teller or neo-romantic. His work is characterized by a certain degree of realism, whether he paints from reality or gives free rein to his imagination. He always strove to make his art so that it appeared believable, even if it was fantasized.