Victor Delhez

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Victor Delhez, (1902 – 1985), best known for his engravings, was born in Antwerp, Belgium, and died in Argentina.

Delhez was one of seven children. He studied at Antwerp's Royal Academy of Fine Arts from 1916-1918 and at the University of Leuven from 1918-1923, graduating as an agronomist with chemistry as his primary subject.

Delhez began exhibiting caricatures and surrealist work while in college. Taking up a role as manager of his family's car company, he continued his artistic interests, publishing a series of prints in 1925.

In 1925, Delhez's parents died in a road accident, and he subsequently moved to Argentina, working as a draughtsman and architect, and contractor, in Buenos Aires from 1926-1933. He then moved to Bolivia, before moving back to Argentina in 1940. He settled in Chacras de Coria and took a post as professor at the Academy of Fine Arts, National University of Cuyo.

While in Bolivia, Delhez produced a set of forty illustrations for the Gospels, and twenty-one for Lord Dunsany's "A Dreamer's Tales", while in correspondence with the author.

The sculptor Lorenzo Domínguez made a marble image of Delhez in the early 1940's.

Delhez became better known from the 1930's, with what is considered to be his best work beginning during his time in Bolivia. Later themes included self-portraits, other parts of the Bible, notably the Book of Apocalypse, Dostoevsky and architecture. He was exhibited in cities such as Brussels (his sisters arranging a show of his "A Dreamer's Tales" works), Antwerp (Plantin-Moretus), the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Smithsonian. Victor Delhez tended to produce short runs from his blocks, which has left some of his work scarce in original form.

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[edit] Other references

  • Buenos Aires, Argentina: Editorial Losada; 1938; Diez de Medina, Fernando; El arte nocturno de Victor Delhez