We are pleased to represent the work of Charles Donker in America. His etchings are quite remarkable for their technical virtuosity and unique vision of the Dutch countryside. In keeping with the tradition of Rembrandt, Seghers and other 17th century Dutch etchers, Donker is inspired by where he lives and describes his homeland with great detail and delicacy. These prints present a special place in the world as seen through the eyes of a master craftsman.
The artist prints his own work and the editions are small, normally 20-30 impressions. Charles Donker's work is in the collection of many prominent museums including the Rijksmuseum, the Boston Museum of Fine Arts, The Fountation Custodia, Paris, The Metropolitan Museum, the Museum Boijmans van Beuningen, Rotterdam, and the Rembrandthuis Museum. The Rembrandthuis, in fact, produced an important catalog and exhibition of Donker's etchings in 2002-03. The catalog was authored by Eddy de Jongh and Peter Schatborn. Donker has had two exhibitions at the Institut Néerlandis in Paris (1975 and 1979). Further information about the artist is available on request. We can send you a more complete resume should you wish to have one.
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Achter Fort Ruygenhoek II Etching, 2008-09, Rijksmuseum CD 08-23; edition 30. 8 1/2 x 10 3/8 in. Signed and numbered in pencil. This is a superb luminous impression with full margins. The condition is excellent. Fort Ruigenhoek is a 19th century fortress near Utrecht. SOLD |
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Behind the Dike at Eemshaven (Achter de Dijk Bij de Eemshaven, Groningen) Etching, circa 2013, subsequent to Rijksmuseum CD, edition 10. 6 5/8 x 10 5/8 in. Signed, numbered and titled in pencil. This is a fine impression printed on white wove paper. The margins are full. The condition is excellent. Eemshaven is a seaport in the province of Groningen in the north of Holland. $750 |
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Berk III (Birch III) Etching and aquatint, 1990, Rijksmuseum CD 90-13, edition 50. 14 5/8 x 11 in. Signed, titled and numbered in pencil. This is a superb impression with full margins. The condition is excellent. The graphic work of Charles Donker is now available via an online catalogue raisonne: rkdmonographs.nl. $1,200 |
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Besneeuwde Heg Rhijnauwen Etching, 2004-05, edition 20. 9 5/8 x 10 1/2 in. Signed in pencil. This is a fine, atmospheric impression printed with rich plate tone. The margins are full and the condition is excellent. $750 |
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Bilthoven Etching, 1992, Rijksmuseum CD 92-24; edition 10. 7 7/8 x 8 5/8 in. Signed and numbered in pencil. This is a fine impression printed with delicate plate tone. The margins are full and the condition is fine. Bilthoven is near Utrecht, Holland. $800 |
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Birch in the Middle of the Forest (Birch I), (Berk Midden in Bos (Berk I) Etching and aquatint, 1988, RKD CD88-2 (ii/II), edition 30. 9 3/4 x 10 7/8 in. Signed and numbered in pencil. This is a superb impression printed on white wove paper. The margins are full and the condition is excellent. This print was done in March and this is etched in tiny letters on the bottom edge of the plate. Donker would often etch little cryptic notes commenting on the print or where he made it. $900 |
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Bos V Etching, 1995, edition probably about 25. This is a proof impression and is so inscribed. 9 1/4 x 11 3/4 in. Signed and titled in pencil. A fine impression printed with tone. Full margins. Fine condition. $800 |
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Dead Coot (Dode Meerkoet) Etching, circa 1967, Rijksmuseum CD 67-9, edition 20. 10 x 9 3/4 in. Signed and numbered in pencil. This is a fine impression of this rare, early work. The margins are full and the condition is excellent. Donker has produced several prints over the years that deal with dead birds and other animals. Donker has not been hesitant about exploring this challenging subject matter and the results are generally quite successful and well-observed. $800 |
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Dead Ring Ouzel with the head facing left (Dode Beflijster Kop Links) Etching, 1977, Rijksmuseum 77-17, edition 15. 6 1/8 x 8 1/16 in. Dated in the plate. Signed and numbered in pencil. This is a fine impression in fine condition. The margins are full. The ring ouzel is a European member of the thrush family, the mountain equivalent of the common blackbird. $750 |
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Dennenappel VIII Etching, 2012, RKD CD 12-4 (iv/IV); edition 30? 4 x 5 7/8 in. Initialed in the plate, lower right. Signed in pencil and inscribed "v/X." This is one of a few pinecone studies done by Donker in 2012. They are highly detailed and finely crafted. The edition is not certain based on the inscription "v/X" which suggests ten were printed in this state. The catalogue lists an edition of thirty in this state for Histoires Naturelles, Paris. $700 |
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Forest XXI (Bos XXI) Etching, circa 1998, RKS CD 98-1 (ii/II); edition 30. 10 5/8 x 11 3/8 in. Signed, titled and numbered in pencil. This is a fine impression of this highly detailed, exemplary work. The margins are full. The condition is fine apart from stray printer's ink on the top margin area and a little bit on the lower left margin area. $950 |
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Four Ash Trees, Rhijnauwen Etching, 1976, RKD CD 75-8, edition 50. 8 x 11 1/2 in. Titled in the plate, lower left. Signed and inscribed in pencil, "nr.4 proefdruk 1e staat." This is a superb impression of this exceptional winter scene. The margins are full and the condition is excellent. The states for this print are complicated. This impression does not exactly match up with the first state illustrated in the RKD online catalogue. Their first state is a touched proof with brush work. Our impression is pure etching and looks more like the fourth state. $900 |
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Groningen Oude Dijk Etching, 2005, edition 10. 7 1/8 x 7 3/8 in. Titled in the plate and signed in pencil. This is a fine impression printed with dramatic plate tone. The margins are full. The condition is fine. Groningen is the city where the Dutch art association "de Ploeg" was founded in 1918. SOLD |
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Grote Dennenappel II (Large Pine Cone II) Etching, 2010, Rijksmuseum CD 10-11; edition 15. 7 1/4 x 8 1/4 in. Signed and dated in the plate. Signed, numbered and titled in pencil. A superb impression with full margins. The condition is excellent. This is one of a series of beautifully etched studies of this simple subject. SOLD |
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Grote Dennenappel III Etching, 2010-11, RKD CD 10-12 (ii/II); edition 15. 7 x 9 3/8 in. Numbered (?) in the plate "24/25/26 2010" and with "2011" below right. Signed and numbered"9/15" in pencil. This is a fine, richly inked impression of this large plate.
In the tradition of Rembrandt, Donker studied pinecones whereas Rembrandt focused on a shell. These studies are a unique example of Donker's work within his ongoing focus on the natural world. $850 |
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Hawthorn in the Snow, Groningen (Meidoorn in de Sneeuw, Groningen) Etching, circa 1986, RKD CD86-7, edition 40. 10 1/2 x 12 7/8 in. Signed and numbered in pencil. Here we have a fine, beautifully inked impression printed on white wove paper. The margins are full and the condition is fine. Donker is quite skilled at capturing the elements of winter; cold, snow and bleakness. $950 |
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Het Waddeneiland Griend Etching, 1973, RKD CD 73-10 (vii/VII), edition 50. 9 7/8 x 9 7/8 in. Signed and numbered in pencil. This is a fine impression printed on white wove paper.
The margins are full and the condition is fine. (There are remnants of two small hinges at the top corners.) Griend is a small uninhabited island among the Wadden Sea Islands also known as the Frisian Islands. They form an archipelago stretching from the northwest of the Netherlands up to Denmark. $900 |
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Hilly Landscape in l'Ardèche (4) (Heuvellandschap in de Ardèche, 4) Etching, 1976-77, CD 77-3, edition at least 11. 5 5/8 x 8 3/8 in. Titled in the plate, lower right. Signed and numbered "9" in pencil. This is a fine impression printed with light plate tone. The margins are full and the condition is fine. The catalogue lists an impression numbered "10" but the total printing is unknown and presumably small. Ardèche is in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region of south central France. SOLD |
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House of the Barn Owl (Het Huis van der Kerkuil, Groningen) Etching, 1977-1981, RKD CD 77-28 (iv/VII); edition 40. 8 3/8 x 11 1/8 in. Signed and numbered in pencil. This is a fine impression with full margins. The condition is very good apart from very slight light toning around the image. As outlined in the online catalogue raisonne, this plate went through some dramatic state changes. Note: The RKD Netherlands Institute for Art History has published online a series of catalogues including this one. https://rkdstudies.nl/ $850 |
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Leersumse Veld II Etching, 2003, edition 30. 10 x 13 1/8 in. Signed and titled in pencil. This is a fine impression in fine condition. The margins are full. This large print depicts a forest near Utrecht, Holland. Like so many of his Dutch landscape etchings, this work compels us to think of great tradition of the 17th century etchers; Rembrandt, Seghers, van Ruisdael and others. SOLD |
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Magnolia (IA) Etching, 2007, edition only 5. 9 1/2 x 11 3/8 in. Signed and titled in pencil. This is a fine, delicate impression in fine condition. The margins are full. This work preceeds Magnolia IB with the aquatint added. SOLD |
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Schalkwijstraat, Utrecht Etching, 1968-69, RKD CD69-12, edition only 20. 11 x 13 1/2 in. Signed and numbered in pencil. This is a superb impression printed on white wove paper. The margins are full and the condition is excellent. This is an exceptional early work by the artist. His architectual etchings tend to be much less common than the landscapes. SOLD |
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Shot Rabbit (Aangeschoten Haas) Etching, 1979, Rijksmuseum CD79-11, edition 50. 8 3/8 x 11 1/8 in. Signed and numbered in pencil. This is a fine impression printed on white wove paper. The margins are full and the condition is fine. This is a well-known print by the artist which appears on page 93 of the Rembrandthuis catalogue of the artist's prints from 2002 (De Jongh & Schatborn.) (Aangeschlotten" means shot by a bullet in Dutch. It's a metaphor for
referring to someone who is drunk.) SOLD |
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Spruce Trees (Sparrenbomen) Etching, 2007, RKD CD 06-5, edition only 10. 9 3/8 x 7 in. Signed and numbered in pencil. Here we have a fine, rich impression of this rare print. The margins are full and the condition is excellent. We have a large selection of Donker's etchings currently available. $800 |
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Tawney Owl on a Wall (Bosuil opeen Muurtje) Etching, 1969, RKD CD 69-7, edition only 20. 6 1/2 x 6 1/2 in. Signed and numbered in pencil. PMZN is etched in the lower left corner of the plate.
This is a fine, delicate impression of this rare, early print. The margins are full and the condition is fine. (There's a tiny circular spot to the left of the platemark.) Owls are a favorite subject of the artist throughout his career. $900 |
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Tawny Owl (Bosuil) Etching, 1976, Rijksmuseum CD75-13, edition 20 (?) plus a few proofs. 6 7/8 x 5 7/8 in. Signed in pencil and also inscribed "pr" for proof. This is a fine impression in fine condition. The margins are full. The tawny owl is a stocky, medium-sized owl found in woodlands across much of Europe and Asia. These This and other etchings by Donker are sensitively rendered and further demonstrate his command of the etching medium. SOLD |
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Three Tree Falcons (Drie Boomvalken) Etching, 2008, Rijksmuseum CD08-5 (iii/III); edition 20. 9 1/8 x 10 5/8 in. Signed and numbered in pencil, and with "III" indicating the third state of three. The margins are full and the condition is fine. Donker did a few studies of these birds and they are representative of his keen sense of observation all aspects of the natural world. $800 |
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Trees and Shrubs, Rhijnaumen (Bomen en Struiken) Etching, 1982, RKD CD 82-5 (v/V), edition 50. 10 1/8 x 14 1/2 in. Signed and numbered in pencil. This is a superb impression of this large and exceptional work. The margins are full and the condition is excellent. The name Rhijnaumen is used to denote a forest that separates Bunnik from Utrecht. Donker did much of his work in this area as it is close to where he lives. $1,200 |
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Uitzicht Vanuit de Tuin in Godlinze (View from the Garden in Godlinze) Etching, 2008, Rijksmuseum CD 08-2; edition 15. 10 3/4 x 11 5/8 in. Titled and dated in the plate. Signed and numbered in pencil. This is a fine impression in fine condition. The margins are full. Godlinze is a town in the province of Groningen. $800 |
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Veenlandschap (Veen) Etching and aquatint, circa 1992, Rijksmuseum CD 92-8 (ii/II); edition 40. 9 1/2 x 10 7/8 in. Signed, titled and numbered in pencil. This is a fine impression in fine condition. The margins are full. Veen is a village in the Dutch province of North Brabant. SOLD |
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Vossegatse Dijk 4, Rhijnauwen Etching and aquatint, circa 1989, Rijksmuseum CD 88-9; edition unknown. 14 3/8 x 11 1/8 in. Titled in the plate and signed and numbered in pencil. This is a fine impression of this large work. The margins are full and the condition is excellent. $850 |
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Vossegatsedjik 1 Etching, 1984, Rijksmuseum CD84-5 (ii/IV); proofs only. 10 1/2 x 14 3/8 in. Signed in pencil. This is a fine, delicate impression in fine condition. The margins are full and untrimmed. This large print by Donker incorporates all the elements of his best work; refined design, rich detail, atmosphere, and an element of mystery. $1,000 |
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Water Well in High Trees (Waterput bij hoge Bomen) Etching, 1978, CD 77-26(ii/II); edition 20. 8 3/8 x 9 7/8 in. Signed and dated in pencil. this is a fine impression in fine condition. The margins are full. The scene depicted here is Rhijnauwen in Holland, not far from Utrecht. $750 |
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Winter in Rhijnauwen Etching , 1982, RKD CD82-2 (ii/II), edition 50. 8 7/16 x 11 1/8 in. Signed and numbered in pencil. This is a fine impression printed on white wove paper.
The margins are full and the condition is very good. (The top margin is skinned in areas from an earlier mat.) Rhijnauwen is a castle and it's also a small forest that separates Bunnik from Utrecht. Many of the artist's prints relate to this area. $900 |
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Winter Landscape with a Large Tree (Winterlandschap met en Grote Boom) Etching, 1978, RKD CD 77-22 (iii/III), edition 50 plus proofs. 9 x 11 in. Signed and numbered in pencil. This is a fine impression with full margins. The condition is excellent. This impression is from the collection of Ton and Dobs van Dijk, the now deceased owners of Galerie Petit in Amsterdam. For many years, they offered a remarkable collection of contemporary Dutch printmakers and sculptors. Sadly, the business is no longer. $900 |
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Young Walnut Tree between Elderberry and Beech Tree (Jonge Notenboom tussen Vlierstruik en Beukenboom) Etching, 1981, RKD CD 80-11 (iii/III); proofs only. 7 3/4 x 11 5/8 in. Signed in the plate, lower left. Signed in pencil and inscribed, "proefdruk." This is a fine, total impression of this rare print. The margins are full and the condition is fine. The work was based on sketches done in Rhijnaumen. $950 |
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