Aart van Dobbenburgh

Van Dobbenburgh became known for his lithographs. He drew a variety of subjects, such as flowers, portraits, and landscapes, but human hands were his favorite. He received his initial training at the Quellinus School of Applied Arts in Amsterdam, where he excelled in lithography. In various interviews, he stated that he was an admirer of Jan Toorop and Van Gogh.

Starting in August 1919, his graphic work was regularly featured in exhibitions. He exhibited for the first time at the “Kunstzaal Parklaan” in Bussum, and in January 1920, his work was featured in an exhibition organized by the Association for the Promotion of Graphic Art at the Stedelijk Museum in Amsterdam.

In September 1923, his color poster for the Dutch and Dutch East Indies Horticulture and Flower Exhibition was published; in 1925, he created a second color poster for the General Congress on Conscientious Objection. This was followed by various posters with strong social and religious themes, continuing into the 1960s.

While his style initially still exhibited characteristics of Impressionism and, in a few cases, Cubism, from the late 1930s onward his work gradually became more realistic and attained a high degree of refinement. His complete lithographic oeuvre is estimated to comprise approximately 800 works. He also created a number of woodcuts and watercolors. Nationally renowned are his lithographs of Queen Mother Emma (1936), his cousin Dr. Willem Drees (1949), Henriette Roland Holst (1949), and the then-Queen Juliana (1961).

Van Dobbenburgh illustrated works by Russian authors such as Tolstoy and Dostoevsky, among others. In 1949, Tolstoy’s *War and Peace* was published with lithographs of the main characters by Van Dobbenburgh. He also drew “Katya” and “Maria” from Tolstoy’s *Resurrection* and *Anna Karenina*, based on the novels of the same name.

In 1936, his book *Graphic Art* was published. That same year, he was appointed lecturer at the Royal Academy in The Hague. In 1941, a volume of his lithographs (32) was published, with text by Jos. de Gruyter and Prof. Dr. W. Banning, titled *From the Work of Aart van Dobbenburgh*. In 1960, *The World of Aart van Dobbenburgh* was published, featuring 46 illustrations of his work. It was compiled by Joh. Schwencke.

Works by Van Dobbenburgh are represented in the Rijksprentenkabinet in Amsterdam, the Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen in Rotterdam, the Jeroen Boschhuis in 's-Hertogenbosch, the Gemeentemuseum in The Hague, the Dutch Lithography Museum in Valkenswaard, Teylers Museum in Haarlem, the Museu de Ovar in Portugal, and in private collections around the world.