A Master of Metal and Enamel
Nico Witteman was a Dutch goldsmith and enamellist. His diverse technical expertise spanned several disciplines, including work as a sculptor, stained-glass artist, jewelry designer, painter, and medalist. His formal training included studies at the Kunstnijverheidsschool Quellinus in Amsterdam, the Kunstgewerbeschule München, and the Académie Colarossi in Paris. He furthered his craft through apprenticeships with Jan Eisenloeffel and the goldsmith Flemming in Stockholm.
His professional output ranged from large-scale wrought iron installations to delicate liturgical vessels. Notable large-scale works include a six-meter-long fence for the Netherlands pavilion at the 1937 World Exhibition in Paris and a staircase railing for the Huis van de Arbeid in Utrecht. His smaller, intricate creations included jewelry and various liturgical items such as ciboria, chalices, monstrances, and incense burners. Witteman was particularly recognized for his colorful enamel work, including email peinture and email cloisonné, utilized in windows, stations of the cross, and lampshades.
Recognition and Legacy
Witteman’s skill earned him significant international acclaim at the 1937 World Exhibition in Paris, where he received a gold medal in the category of ceramics, enamel, and mosaic, as well as a diplome d'honneur in the category of metal, goldsmithwork, and diamonds. His work is held in several collections, including the Museum Catharijneconvent in Utrecht and the Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam.
Throughout his career, he was active in the Algemene Katholieke Kunstenaarsvereniging and held solo exhibitions, including those at the Drents Museum in Assen and Kunstzaal M.L. de Boer in Amsterdam. In 1976, he was appointed a Knight in the Order of Orange-Nassau.
