Reijer Johan Anthonie Stolk (1896-1945) was a Dutch artist of mixed heritage whose work spanned painting, sculpture, graphic design, etching, printmaking, and batik. Born on 30 March 1896 in Ngunut, Java (then the Dutch East Indies) to a Javanese mother and a Dutch father, he moved to the Netherlands as a child.
Key facts
- Lived
- 1896–1945, Dutch
- Movement
Biography
Stolk studied at the Haarlem School of Arts and Crafts, where the woodcut artist Samuel Jessurun de Mesquita was among his teachers and M.C. Escher a schoolmate. His early graphic work shows de Mesquita's influence in its bold lines and stark contrasts, though he developed a distinctive personal style over the following years.
Between 1922 and 1926, while living in Vienna, Stolk registered several aircraft patents, an unusual digression for a visual artist. In 1930, the Ankersmit Textile Factory sent him on a two-month study trip to the Gold Coast and Nigeria to gather design inspiration for wax print textile patterns. This African journey influenced his later use of colour and motif.
His works are held in the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam and the Netherlands Institute for Art History (RKD) in The Hague. He died on 24 March 1945 in Amsterdam.
Timeline
- 1896Born in Ngunut, Java (Dutch East Indies)
- 1912Studied at Haarlem School of Arts and Crafts
- 1922Registered aircraft patents while living in Vienna
- 1926Lived in Vienna
- 1930Study trip to Gold Coast and Nigeria
- 1945Died in Amsterdam
Related Artists
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Reijer Stolk known for?
Reijer Stolk is known for his work in painting, sculpture, graphic design, etching, printmaking, and batik. He also registered several aircraft patents between 1922 and 1926, while living in Vienna. In 1930, he travelled to the Gold Coast and Nigeria to gather design inspiration for wax print textile patterns.Who was Reijer Stolk?
Reijer Johan Anthonie Stolk (1896-1945) was a Dutch artist of mixed heritage. Born in Java to a Javanese mother and a Dutch father, he moved to the Netherlands as a child. He studied at the Haarlem School of Arts and Crafts.What was Reijer Stolk's art style?
His early graphic work shows the influence of Samuel Jessurun de Mesquita in its bold lines and stark contrasts. However, Reijer developed a distinctive personal style over the following years. His African journey influenced his later use of colour and motif.When was Reijer Stolk born?
Reijer Stolk was born in 1896 in Dutch. Reijer Stolk died in 1945, aged 49.How did Reijer Stolk die?
Reijer Stolk died in 1945 at the age of 49.
Sources
Editorial draws on the following primary and tertiary references for Reijer Stolk.
- [1] wikidata Wikidata: Q2526674 Used for: identifiers.
- [2] book Metropolitan Museum Of Art, Metropolitan Museum Of Art - Dutch Painting, the Golden Age_ an Exhibition of Dutch Pictures of the Seventeenth Century, under the High Patronage of Her Majesty the Queen of the Netherlands - Metropolitan Museum of Art, Toledo Museum of Art, Art Used for: biography.
- [3] book National Gallery of Art, National Gallery of Art - Painting in the Dutch Golden Age - A Profile of the Seventeenth Century Used for: biography.
Editorial overseen by Solis Prints. Sources verified 2026-05-17. Click a source for details, or hover over [N] in the page above to preview.
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