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Did you know that Jessurun de Mesquita was the teacher of M.C. Escher?

Escher developed his woodcutting skills under the supervision of Jessurun de Mesquita. From both sides there was a great admiration and respect for the other and Escher wrote the text on the commemorative exhibition Jessurun de Mesquita and Mendes da Costa received right after WWII in the Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam. An exhibition curated by another “star” from the forties an fifties, Willem Sandberg. Sandberg started right after WWII with this exhibition because he wanted to show the world the great loss of these 2 great jewish artists that did not survive the war. But lets focus on the works by Jessurun de Mesquita. Technically one of the very best at that time and with subjects that stood very nearby daily life and some surrealistic / Sensivistic drawings.

Many animals were depicted because the Artis Zoo was allways nearby and a much appreciated source for all his animal drawings and woodcuts. Nature, art deco and the best possible technique in the art of the woodcut print resulted in almost all of the cases in the best dutch art prints from that time.

Some excellent publications at www.ftn-books.com and for those reading the blog and want to order the very special Samuel Jessurun de Mesquita by Wassenaar/van Es from 1928. Use the code JESSURUNes and receive 10% discount on this title. Only 1 available and valid in september 2016.

This title from 1928 is the highlight in the book publications by Jessurun de Mesquita. It contains 2 original woodcuts on the inside and one original on the cover ( owl).

There is one other publication i can recommend and it is the monograph on Jessurun de Mesquita by the late Jonieke van Es, who wrote it and put one of the most complete catalogue Raisone’s together on any artist. This one for Samuel Jessurun de Mesquita is very special indeed.

And finally . for all readers of this blog….I have a nice set of Jessurun de Mesquita available 7 postcards for $15.00 including Worldwide shipping.

wilfried

www.ftn-books.com

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Maurits Cornelis Escher was one of the most gifted pupils of Samuel Jessurun de Mesquita (1868-1944). His teacher died at the end of WWII in a Nazi concentration camp and was commemorated by Escher in a text which was published in a catalogue on the art of Jessurun de Mesquita and Mendes da Costa ( 1863-1939) who had an exhibition in the Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam right after the war to honor them both.

This is believed to be the first printed text by Escher. The catalogue with this text is still available at www.ftn-books.com

and is one of the first to be published by the Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam after WWII. Since, Escher has had many other publications with text and of course prints , but the text on his former teacher is special and touching. The design of the book is done by Willem Sandberg himself and all these ingredients put together in one publication makes it very special indeed. I very much like the works by Jessurun de Mesquita and admire the artist he was. His woodcuts are fabulous and when you admire the Escher prints, do not forget that perhaps his teacher Jessurun de Mesquita was even a greater artist, but unfortunately has not become as famous as his pupil. ( later this month a blog on Jessurun de Mesquita with a special offer).

wilfried