# Samuel Jessurun de Mesquita artist context and auction value notes

Canonical page: https://appraisily.com/artist/samuel-jessurun-de-mesquita/
Profile generated: 2026-05-14T19:40:15.557Z
Quality: high confidence, strong sources

## Artist identity

- Nationality: Dutch
- Movements: Dutch graphic arts, early 20th century
- Common media: woodcut prints, etchings, lithographs, watercolors, drawings, paintings, textile designs

## About Samuel Jessurun de Mesquita

Samuel Jessurun de Mesquita (1868–1944) was a Dutch graphic artist, printmaker, and teacher whose work spans woodcuts, etchings, lithographs, watercolors, paintings, and textile designs. Active in the Netherlands from the late nineteenth century until the Second World War, he is recognized for his mastery of graphic techniques and his role as an influential academy lecturer. Among his most celebrated pupils was M. C. Escher, who credited de Mesquita with shaping his approach to printmaking. Of Sephardic Jewish heritage, de Mesquita was deported to Auschwitz in 1944, where he and his wife were murdered. His life and career were cut short, but the body of work he left behind—particularly his woodcuts and etchings—continues to draw the attention of collectors and museums specializing in modern Dutch graphic arts.

## Common works and media

De Mesquita is best known for woodcut prints and etchings, which form the largest share of his surviving and auction-recorded output. Lithographs, watercolors, ink drawings, and occasional paintings also appear. His graphic work frequently demonstrates strong contrast, stylized forms, and accomplished technique. Textile designs and wall paintings are documented in the RKD but are less likely to surface on the open market. Prints are typically small to medium in scale, often issued in limited editions.

## Market and appraisal context

De Mesquita's prints and works on paper appear periodically at auction, with woodcuts and etchings being the most commonly offered categories. Factors that influence appraisal include the specific medium, edition size, provenance, condition, and the subject of the individual work. His connection to M. C. Escher as a mentor adds provenance interest. Much of his output was lost or destroyed during the war, which can affect the availability and relative rarity of surviving pieces. Collectors should compare any offered work against documented examples in the RKD and museum collections, and verify attribution through catalogue records rather than relying solely on stylistic resemblance.

## Appraisily data basis

Appraisily artist pages combine artist identity research from authority files and institutional sources with auction records, auction-house context, sale dates, realized prices, and comparable lots when those records are available. For Samuel Jessurun de Mesquita, identity data is grounded in Wikidata, Getty ULAN, VIAF, the RKD Netherlands Institute for Art History, and the Library of Congress authority file.

## Sources

- Wikidata: https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2455247
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samuel_Jessurun_de_Mesquita
- RKD - Netherlands Institute for Art History: https://rkd.nl/en/explore/artists/42262
- VIAF: https://viaf.org/viaf/52612380/
- Getty Vocabulary Program: https://vocab.getty.edu/page/ulan/500022618
- Library of Congress: https://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/n79063459