After research Jean Thomassen discovered facts about Pavlova, that were kept secret for years. These facts were the motive to write a sensational biography about the greatest ballerina the world has ever known. The book, although written in Dutch, nevertheless provoked commotion in both the United Kingdom and the USSR. It would cause action to return the ashes of Anna Pavlova, that were kept at London, to Moskou. Harvey Thomas, presschef of primeminister Margaret Thatcher was send to Amsterdam to discuss the matter with Ine and Jean.
At Hotel des Indes in The Hague a vernissage was held. Dr. Alex Tcickvaidze (ambassador of the USSR) and sir Michael Jenkins (ambassador of the United Kingdom) unveilled a portrait painted by Jean Thomassen, in the room where Anna Pavlova died 60 years ago, and hereby opened the exhibition.
The Pavlova exhibitions and the book led in a few years to over 150 articles in newspapers and magazins, many Radio-interviews and TV-items. After pressagency Reuter distributed a few reports, worldwide the international newspapers like the Tokio Times, The Guardian, The Toronto Star, The Daily Mail, The Independant, The Prawda, The Times placed articles. TV newsstation CNN interviewed Jean Thomassen in 1996.
Drs. R. Bastiaanse, director of the museum “Het Markiezenhof” in Bergen op Zoom, voided five rooms of the beautiful renaissance palace (where once the marquises kept residence), in 1995, for the first retrospective of the “master of the absurd reality”. “If absurd- realism has the right to exist, Jean Thomassen by far is the most important exponent” drs. Johanna Jacobs, conservator of the museum “Het Markiezenhof” once stated.
A few years later kickboxing promotor Daan Enneking asked Jean tot write a book about his artcollection. It would lead to several exhibitions. In 2001 a large exhibition took place containing the highlights of the collection of the bussinessman Enneking. Only early realistic painters were represented. The exhibition drew a lot of public and the director of the Westfriesmuseum in Hoorn, drs. Ruud Spruit, decided to organize a triplet exhibition with work of the most famous fantastic- realistic artists. The three exhibitions were held with paintings by Johfra, Ernst Fuchs and Jean Thomassen.
The ambassador of Pakistan, his excellency Mustafa Kamal Kazi, and the ambassador of Libanon, his excellency Michel el Khoury, were present at the opening of an exhibition at The Hague.
Paintings by Jean Thomassen and Ine Veen are also to be seen and for sale in gallery Archetypes Art International, Avenue Joseph Clotis 21, 83411 Hyères in the south of France, were, in the summer of 2003 an exhibition was held.
From augustus 13 2019 up to and including october 13 2019 a retrospective exhibition was held at Slager museum in ’s Hertogenbosch, the Netherlands. See a film on Youtube
From augustus 13 up to and including october 13 there was a retrospection exhibition at Slager museum in ’s Hertogenbosch, the Netherlands.