Nicolaas J.B. Bulder (1898–1964) lived and worked his entire life in Hoogezand. His father was a carpenter, and his mother the daughter of a tailor. At the age of fifteen, Nico Bulder began working in a machine factory, but in the evenings he took lessons from a ship draftsman and a mathematics teacher.
In 1919, Bulder joined the Gideon shipyard in Groningen as a naval architectural draftsman. After the shipyard went bankrupt in 1924, he reconsidered his future and decided to prioritize his artistic ambitions. At the age of 26, he enrolled at the Minerva Academy in Groningen, where he studied under F.H. Bach (1865–1965) and A.W. Kort (1881–1976). In 1930, he was appointed drawing teacher at the Hommes Institute in Sappemeer.
Driven by passion, Bulder illustrated numerous books alongside his teaching career. He gained international recognition, particularly for his woodcuts and engravings, which are noted for their astonishing detail. Bulder also designed stained glass windows, painted watercolors of Groningen landscapes with notable skill, and created striking oil paintings depicting biblical scenes—works in which, as a devout Catholic, mystical and religious themes played a central role.
Martijn Reneman –
Geweldig graficus, erg ondergewaardeerd