Fantasie: twee kaders, in elk een profiel naar rechts - Samuel Jessurun de Mesquita
Archival giclée
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Description
A 1920 woodcut by Samuel Jessurun de Mesquita featuring stylised profiles within two distinct frames, showcasing the artist's mastery of line and graphic contrast.
This woodcut by Samuel Jessurun de Mesquita, dated 1920, demonstrates the artist's mastery of graphic economy and structural composition. The work is divided into two distinct rectangular frames, each containing stylised profiles oriented towards the right. The left frame features a larger figure in a hooded garment, accompanied by a smaller, secondary profile. The right frame presents a singular, bold profile defined by sharp, angular lines and a stark contrast between light and shadow.
De Mesquita utilised the woodcut medium to explore the relationship between negative space and linear definition. The background of each frame is heavily worked with vertical hatching, which pushes the figures forward and creates a sense of depth despite the flat, graphic nature of the print. His approach to portraiture here avoids traditional realism, opting instead for a rhythmic, almost architectural arrangement of facial features. The lines are precise and deliberate, reflecting the artist's background in decorative arts and his ability to synthesise complex forms into essential shapes.
The paper shows signs of age, with a warm, aged tone that complements the dark ink of the woodblock. This print is characteristic of the artist's output during the early twentieth century, where he frequently experimented with the expressive potential of the woodcut technique. By isolating these profiles within rigid borders, de Mesquita invites the viewer to consider the interplay between the subjects and their confined environments. The work remains a clear example of his technical rigour and his interest in the psychological weight of the human profile, stripped of unnecessary detail and reduced to its most potent visual components.
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Each print is produced to order using 12-colour giclée printing on FSC-certified archival paper. Designed in Britain and printed at your nearest production hub to reduce waste and speed up delivery.
Care and materials
Specific Features
Every Solis piece is made to order with archival, gallery-quality materials built to last.
- Museum-grade giclée printing for rich, fade-resistant colour
- Archival matte fine-art paper, FSC-certified
- Multiple sizes and framing options available
- Frames in black, natural wood, dark wood or white
- Framed prints arrive ready to hang
Care & Cleaning
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- Dust gently with a soft, dry cloth
- Avoid prolonged direct sunlight
- Never use liquid cleaners on the print or canvas surface
- Keep in a dry, room-temperature space
- Handle prints with clean, dry hands
Materials & Sizing
Museum-grade giclée on FSC-certified archival matte paper, with framed and canvas options.
- Paper sizes: A4, A3, A2, A1, A0 and B2 (50×70 cm)
- Canvas: XS (20×30 cm) to Large (60×90 cm)
- Frames: black, natural wood, dark wood or white
Fantasie: twee kaders, in elk een profiel naar rechts - Samuel Jessurun de Mesquita
Artist Biography
Samuel Jessurun De Mesquita
He was born in Amsterdam in 1868, of Portuguese Sephardic Jewish origin. He trained there and was appointed teacher at the School of Architecture and Decorative Arts in Haarlem in 1902, where he remained until 1926. Escher was his most famous student; it was De Mesquita who convinced the young Escher to abandon architecture for graphic arts, a decision that changed twentieth-century visual culture.
De Mesquita produced over four hundred prints, including woodcuts, wood engravings, etchings and lithographs, plus drawings and textile designs. His animal and bird woodcuts, with their stark black-and-white stylisation influenced by Japanese ukiyo-e, are among his most distinctive work. He was not religiously observant despite his Sephardic community background. His wife Elisabeth was gassed alongside him at Auschwitz; their son Jaap perished at Theresienstadt a month later. He died at Auschwitz, around 11 February 1944, at seventy-five.
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