Nola Hatterman - Standing Nude with Raised Arm

Nola Hatterman (1899-1984)

Standing Nude with Raised Arm

Pencil on paper

Signed lower right “N. Hatterman”, made before her departure for Paramaribo in 1953.

21 x 14 cm

Framed

Provenance:

Acquired directly from Nola Hatterman by Daan Goulooze (1901-1965), resistance fighter and publisher in Amsterdam; private collection of his son H. Goulooze.

Daan Goulooze, former director of the publishing houses Pegasus and De Republiek der Letteren, maintained close contacts with various artists and regularly used his Amsterdam publishing house as a venue for sales exhibitions. He was active in progressive socialist and communist circles and came into contact with Nola Hatterman in this capacity.

Condition:

In good condition.

Additional information:

This drawing depicts a Surinamese woman in a graceful and self-confident pose, captured by the artist Nola Hatterman (1899-1984). Known for her engagement with the Afro-Surinamese community and her commitment to decolonial art, Hatterman emphasises both the dignity and strength of her model in this study. With subtle hatching and careful attention to anatomical detail, she captures both the power and elegance of the figure. The drawing reflects Hatterman’s vision of celebrating African and Afro-Caribbean beauty and strengthens the dialogue around identity and emancipation.

Nola Hatterman was a Dutch actress, painter and designer who came into contact with progressive Surinamese figures in the Netherlands during the 1930s, including Anton de Kom. In 1953 she settled in Suriname to teach a new generation of Surinamese artists. The identity of Suriname and its people is central to Hatterman’s work. She regarded art as a weapon in the struggle against discrimination and colonialism. After her death in 1984, former students founded the Nola Hatterman Institute, later renamed the Nola Hatterman Art Academy.

As an artist, Nola Hatterman embodies the shared postcolonial heritage of Suriname and the Netherlands and forms a key link between Surinamese and Dutch art history.

Her works have recently been acquired by, among others, Kunstmuseum Den Haag and included in the permanent display of the Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam.

More information can be found at www.nolahatterman.com and in the book Nola Hatterman, Geen kunst zonder kunnen, 2021 (edited by Ellen de Vries).