BIOGRAPHY: Johann Wilhelm Kaiser

Johann Wilhelm Kaiser (1813-1900) was born in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, in January 1813, into a German immigrant family of nine. At the age of fourteen he went to the Royal Academy in Amsterdam where he could develop his obvious talents as a painter and an engraver. He soon focused solely on engraving and, after a stint in the artillery, he established himself as an engraver.

Kaiser became famous for his beautiful book illustrations, getting commissions to illustrate many classics of Dutch literature which were written in his time. But Kaiser became even more famous for his engravings of masterpieces such as Rembrandt’s Night Watch. At that time, art lovers regarded engravings as the only valid reproduction method of classic paintings, and Kaiser proved to be a master at that. These engravings usually took years to complete, with his engraving of Van der Helst’s ‘Banquet of the Amsterdam Civic Guard in Celebration of the Peace of Münster’ taking seven years to complete! For this kind of work, Kaiser received many accolades, such as the Order of the Netherlands Lion, one of the highest civil orders in the Netherlands, comparable to the British Order of the Bath. International acclaim followed with Kaiser being awarded the French Honour of Legion, after his work was shown at the 1865 World’s Fair in Paris. 

As early as 17 December 1850, Kaiser’s name was mentioned with regard to engraving the first stamps to be issued by the Netherlands. Although at that time the idea was considered to use a machine-engraved die, this was never acted on as the Mint was obviously convinced that Kaiser was the right man for the job.


His fame was such that, even though Kaiser was only 38 at the time, he was chosen to design and engrave the very first postage stamps that were to be issued in the Netherlands in 1852. As early as 17 December 1850, Kaiser's name had been mentioned with regard to engraving the stamps. Although initially the plan had been to use a machine-engraved die, this never materialised because the Dutch Mint had enough faith in Kaiser's abilities to hand-engrave a complete die.

Kaiser's remit was to base the design on the existing stamps of other countries depicting their monarchs. A lifelike portrait was not a high priority, the prevention of counterfeiting was.

The design of those first Dutch stamps was based on a design submitted by the chairman of the Dutch Mint. Kaiser adapted it to include a larger portrait and a more elaborate frame in which the numerals would be easier to read.

Kaiser started his work on the die in the summer of 1851. On 11 August, progressive die proofs were made and submitted for approval. His engraving included an empty space in the bottom left corner where the value could be added. Of this engraving two proofs were made, one in orange and one in black. Both are located in the Museum for Communication, formerly the Dutch Postal Museum. However, recently two more copies have surfaced which have been available on the philatelic market. Minor changes were asked for by the Mint, which mainly concerned the width of the lettering, which were thought to be too thin. These were soon executed and in early October, Kaiser could engrave the numerals in the various laydowns of the master die.

In 1859, when a new 20c value was requested, it was again Kaiser who engraved the values on a newly laid down die from the original transfer roller. Proofs were made in five different colours, mainly shades of yellow and brown, but the stamp was never issued.

The fact that the plate production had been executed by Wiener, who had also been heavily involved in the production of the first Belgian stamps just a few years earlier, meant that for decades it was thought that he had engraved the die for the first Dutch stamps as well (just as it was thought he had engraved the first Belgian stamps). Wiener was an engraver and he did submit a die essay for those first Belgian stamps, but this was not adopted because of technical and artistic shortcomings. When, in 1930, it finally became known that it was not Wiener who had engraved the Belgian stamps, but J H Robinson, thorough research started on the production of the first Dutch stamp, and only then did the philatelic brotherhood finally ‘discover’ that it was Mr Kaiser who had engraved the first Dutch stamps.

In fact, even at the earliest stages of deliberations about introducing stamps in the Netherlands, the ‘famous compatriot’ Kaiser had already been named as a possible candidate for engraving the stamps. No other engraver has ever been considered for the job.

It took quite a while for the Dutch to warm to the idea of using postage stamps on their mail, but Kaiser’s work was appreciated enough for him to be asked again when a new set of stamps was decided on, in 1864. By that time, he had become Head of the Engraving School in Amsterdam, succeeding his erstwhile Royal Academy teacher Benoit Taurel.

The 1864 stamp issue of the Netherlands was again a portrait of King William III, but this time in a slightly less elaborate frame. Work on that second issue started early 1862. Again, Kaiser engraved a single die which had an empty space for the values. This was done in 1863 and the eventual stamps were issued in 1864.

At the same time, Kaiser was asked to provide a design and engraving for the first stamps to be issued in the Netherlands Indies. Again, he had to design a stamp which would be based on a portrait of King William III. This single stamp would also be issued in 1864.

Kaiser’s star continued to rise, and in 1870 he would become Professor at the Royal Academy for Arts, while still also being Head of the Engraving School. Like many contemporaries, Kaiser believed that artists had a moral duty to educate. Later still, Kaiser would even make it to Director of the Rijksmuseum. During his stint there, Kaiser oversaw the move to newly built premises, where the national gallery can still be found today. In 1883, he retired from public service.

But fame is a fickle thing, and contrary to contemporary belief, after his death in 1900 Kaiser did not remain the household name he used to be, and he is now mainly remembered by philatelists, for his work on the first Dutch stamps. Nowadays, the general public will only encounter his name in relation to the Dutch Nobel Prize winner Hendrik Lorentz, whose father-in-law he was. But at least Kaiser has got a street named after him in Leiden!

You will find Johann Wilhelm Kaiser's database HERE.