Edmond Van Offel - Ontmoeting van Albrecht Dürer en Quinten Massijs in Antwerpen - 1930s

Original educational poster / school chart (no. 44) dating from around 1930. It concerns one of 6 scenes from the series '(Belgian) Patriotic History' by the artist Edmond Van Offel (signed in the print bottom left 'Edm. van Offel'), published by Leermiddelenhandel August Bossaerts of Antwerp.

Between 1520 and 1521 the master printmaker Albrecht Dürer stayed no less than 11 months in Antwerp (in Wolstraat). He kept a travel diary and captured in paintings and drawings whom he met and what attracted his attention in the city. He also visited Quinten Massijs (Metsys), a Southern Netherlandish painter who enjoyed considerable prestige in the Scheldt city. He is regarded as the last major representative of the Flemish Primitives. Massijs was also one of the founders of the Antwerp School.

August Bossaerts (1883-1962) was a teacher and later head of a school within the Antwerp municipal education system. He was active within the liberal and Flemish-minded education association Diesterweg and in 1918 founded a publishing house and wholesale trade in teaching materials and school supplies.

The school charts for the Vaderlandse Geschiedenis series published by Bossaerts consisted of eleven series of six large plates each, testifying to social engagement, showing rather workers than monarchs. Bossaerts enlisted the artist Edmond van Offel for the school charts, among others. The bilingual series appeared during the 1931-1932 school year and was reprinted at least until 1963.

Printing: Drukkerij F. Van Buggenhoudt N.V. - De Bosschaertstraat 117, Antwerp
Condition B+: repaired edge cracks in the middle of the top edge. Image entirely intact. Fresh colors. The poster is still mounted on the original wooden hanging battens (easy to remove).
Shipping: in a sturdy tube with Bpost track & trace