Peter van Dongen - "De Antwerpsche Tram" High-quality offset printing on heavy archival paper. - Verkocht

Peter van Dongen (Amsterdam, 1966) Publisher Oog & Blik, Amsterdam '98-'2000 "De Antwerpsche Tram" High-quality offset printing on heavy archival paper. 70×50cm Mint/Archive State.

Journey back into the clean, nostalgic elegance of pre-war Europe through this pristine vintage architectural graphic print. Published in Amsterdam by the premier graphic novel imprint Oog & Blik, this rare first-edition plate showcases the masterful artistic hand of Dutch graphic novelist and illustrator Peter van Dongen (born 1966). Universally acclaimed for his award-winning historical epics like Rampokan and his official continuation of the legendary Blake and Mortimer series, van Dongen stands alongside the great contemporary masters of the pure Ligne Claire (clear line) tradition, an aesthetic defined by uniform ink contours, exquisite historical accuracy, and flat, sophisticated color blocking.​The magnificent streetscape composition captures a bustling mid-century morning scene in Antwerp, Belgium. On the left, two young boys look on in animated conversation—one wearing a vibrant red sweater with suspenders, the other eating an apple while dressed in a classic chevron-patterned knit vest. On the right, a local vendor in a checkered flat cap and dark heavy coat glances downward while holding a large, industrial light-blue metal toolbox. The lively street scene behind them showcases a beautifully detailed, vintage blue-and-red electric city tram (No. 72, marked for "TURMAC") navigating puddles alongside a classic black sedan and a cyclist, all framed by towering, ornate Neo-Baroque European architecture underneath a soft ocher and pale cream sky.​Meticulously printed via high-quality gallery offset lithography on thick, premium archival paper stock in a substantial 70x50 cm format, the production flawlessly preserves van Dongen’s extraordinarily clean line work and refined pastel tones. The illustration is signed by the artist in the lower-right corner of the artwork frame plate as VAN DONGEN. Sourced directly from an untouched distributor archive portfolio file, this uncirculated, investment-grade masterpiece is an ultimate acquisition for serious Ligne Claire historians, European architectural illustration collectors, or upscale minimalist interior decors.