Johan D. Scherft

Johannes Daniël Scherft (18 August 1891 – 8 August 1969) was a Dutch etcher, painter, etching printer, and gallery owner.

Early life Scherft was born to a working-class family. His father worked as a shoemaker and ed as a police officer. In 1920, Scherft married Antonia Cornelia van der Marel. The couple had three daughters and one son. Scherft is the grandfather of Dutch sculptor Johan Scherft (1970).

Scherft was a member of the IOOF, Arti et Industriae and the Haagse Kunstkring. In 1932, Scherft exhibited Picasso's works, marking one of the artist's earliest showcases in the Netherlands. In 1941, Scherft organized another exhibition dedicated to Escher's work, showcasing his later famous woodcuts, including the iconic Day and Night.

Scherft also printed commercial works. In addition to etchings, Scherft printed linocuts, woodcuts, and wood engravings. He printed the work of over two hundred artists, including Philip Zilcken, Willem de Zwart, Samuel Jessurun de Mesquita and Paul Citroen.

He was active as an artist. He made about 150 etchings, mostly cityscapes. He made paintings and watercolors, especially still lifes and nature scenes.

In May 1943, during the German occupation, the printing house had to close. The German authorities confiscated most of his machinery and printing tools, leaving only the etching press.

Scherft continued to work as an etching printer and graphic artist until shortly before his death in 1969. Ton van Os was one of the last artists who Scherft printed.

Subjects

Adriaan van ‘t Hoff Hermanus Berserik Miguel-Ángel Cárdenas Jeanne Bieruma Oosting Cees Bolding

Permanent Collections Leiden University Library and the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam possess a collection of etchings and drawings by Johan D. Scherft.