Les Moines (The Monks)

Dolf Rieser

Atelier 17 in Paris in the 1930s was a draw for printmakers from around the world, including Dolph Rieser, who was from King William Town, South Africa. Rieser had studied with Hans Hoffman in Germany before heading to Paris and meeting Atelier 17 printmaker Joseph Hecht and then S.W. Hayter.

Atelier 17 of the 1930s was primarily using engraving as the main approach to intaglio and Rieser primarily did engraving but, in this case, Rieser used an etched line, done very delicately like an engraving. This print, editoned at 30, is very rare. It was from the collection of Atelier 17 artist Cathal O'Toole.

According to Dolph's brother, Martin Rieser "This is an etching of catholic priests at a seminary that Dolf could see from his studio in Montparnasse, (I think) from around 1936." At this point Rieser had his studio at No.7, Rue Belloni in Montparnasse, Paris.

Other work can be seen at www.dolfrieser.com. For more information on the artist, please see our biography, above.