Bart De Cort

Reitsma-valenca Bart De Cort

There is no doubt that Engelien Reitsma-Valença - together with the more renown M. C. Escher - belongs to the top Dutch graphic artists in the first half of the twentieth century. She has an ironclad reputation as an engraver, especially her portraits executed in this mode are of the highest order. This richly illustrated monograph situates her work within the context of her life and times. Both in her professional and in her private life, Reitsma-Valença had more than a fair share of hindrances and setbacks, the eradication of her Jewish family during WWII being one of them. It is to her credit that Reitsma-Valença overcame all of these obstacles - and, in the end, her perseverance paid off. In spite of the quality of her work, her name has, however, not yet become a household name. It was therefore high time that all of her works were collected in one volume, especially since the number of admirers and collectors of her work is quickly growing worldwide.