Agnes Canta

She first painted landscapes and still-lives, but eventually switched to designing posters and book covers, as well as to murals. She had her first personal exhibition in 1926. In the beginning of the 1930s, Canta designed many posters, in particular, for the Nederlandse Spoorwegen (1931) and for the Jaarbeurs (since 1932). Specifically, her September 1933 poster for the Jaarbeurs, inspired by The Great Wave off Kanagawa by Hokusai, was considered to be very successful. Before WWII, Canta was the only woman who designed posters for the Nederlandse Spoorwegen. Canta also took part in the creation of the Dutch pavilion at the World's Fair in Antwerp in 1930. Her work was part of the painting event in the art competition at the 1932 Summer Olympics. Canta stayed in Rotterdam during the German occupation. Canta died in 1964 in her apartment which was next to her atelier at Jan Kruijffstraat in Delfshaven, living alone. In 1992, a street in Rotterdam, Agnes Cantastraat, was named after Canta.

Agnes Canta studied at Willem de Kooning Academy. Training under Frederik Nachtweh, Alexander van Maasdijk and Ferdinand Oldewelt is recorded. Jan Philippus Augustus de Vries is recorded as having studied under Agnes Canta. Places of work recorded in the authority are Rotterdam. Work by Agnes Canta is recorded in the collections of Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen, Stadsarchief Rotterdam, Museum Rotterdam and Het Scheepvaartmuseum.

• Name — Agnes Canta • Occupation — Painter • Born — 14 November 1888 • Birthplace — Rotterdam, Netherlands • Died — 8 August 1964 • Place of death — Rotterdam, Netherlands