Fantasie - Samuel Jessurun de Mesquita

A 1919 lithograph by Samuel Jessurun de Mesquita, featuring surreal figures and a mysterious feathered form rendered in high-contrast black ink.

This lithograph by Samuel Jessurun de Mesquita, dated 1919, demonstrates the artist's mastery of graphic techniques and his inclination towards the grotesque. The composition features two figures on the left, both wearing distinctive caps, oriented towards the right side of the frame. Opposite them, a spectral, feathered form emerges through a scratched, textured surface. The work reflects the artist's interest in the surreal and the uncanny, themes that frequently appeared in his graphic output.

De Mesquita was a significant figure in the Dutch art scene, known for his technical precision in woodcuts and lithography. His work often moved away from strict realism, favouring instead a stylised approach that prioritised mood and psychological tension. The heavy use of black ink creates a stark contrast, pushing the figures into a dreamlike space. The scratched marks on the right side of the print suggest a deliberate manipulation of the lithographic stone, adding a layer of raw, tactile energy to the scene. This piece is characteristic of his later period, where he explored more abstract and imaginative subjects.

As a teacher at the School of Applied Arts in Haarlem, de Mesquita influenced many younger artists, including M.C. Escher. His own work, however, remains distinct for its dark, often whimsical, and sometimes unsettling character. This print is a fine example of his ability to balance technical control with a sense of spontaneous, dark fantasy. The figures appear almost like caricatures, their features exaggerated to convey a specific, if ambiguous, narrative. The print serves as a window into the artist's private world, where the boundary between the human and the fantastical is blurred through the medium of printmaking.