SJOERD KUPERUS was born at the Dutch island Texel on the 10th of February 1893. In a mennonite manse called ”Den Burg”. The son of the pastor witnessed the artistic activities of the artists Theo van Hoytema and Jan Mankes, and during his youth he played with the sons of Jacobus Pieter Thijsse when they were on the island to enjoy their holiday. Later on, when Kuperus became professionally involved in wildlife, he also became closer to the naturalist Thijse, a teacher in Amsterdam.
Despite Kuperus talent and his eagerness to draw, his father won’t let him go to the academy of art and as a young man he fulfils several jobs in Amsterdam and Haarlem. Due to the interference of Louis Raemaekers (° 1869 – † 1956) his father finally changes his mind and Kuperus starts to follow drawing lessons taught by Albert Hahn (° 1877 – † 1918). The latter makes him aware of even the smallest details of what seems to be common.
Between 1923 and 1925, he studies at the ”Rijksacademie voor Beeldende Kunsten” in Amsterdam. In 1925 he marries Riek de Rooij and the young couple decides to move to Amsterdam. As a teacher, his wife earns enough money for the two of them and this provides Kuperus with an opportunity to develop himself as an artist. Moreover, he stayed in close contact with the publicist Jan Pieter Strijbos (° 1891 – † 1983). This author of books on nature wrote for the biscuitfactory “Van Delft & Zonen’s Banket- en Koekfabriek” a book called “Hoe heet die vogel (How is the bird called)” (1930). For the sequel of this book, Kuperus painted more than 100 water colours.
At certain periods during his life, Kuperus spends nearly all of his days in the zoo of Amsterdam, ARTIS. Other impressions were gained in a relatively small geographic area: the isle of Texel, the area of small lakes in Holland, along the Amstel, the south west part of Friesland and some adjacent area’s in The Netherlands. Many of his drawings appeared in books, magazines and newspapers.
During his life, Kuperus illustrated approximately 100 books, amongst which Thijse’s album “”Nederlandsche Vogels” (Dutch Birds) (1934). With some authors, especially the ones of wildlife works, he had close contacts such as Rinke Tolman (° 1891 – † 1983), Albertus Bernard Wigman (° 1891 – † 1972) and Jan Vriends (° 1901 – † 1992). Kuperus learned a great deal from their comments, read publications on wildlife and practised his observations skills both in the countryside as well as in Artis. Also, the practise of sketching thousands of small “scratches” of landscapes, animals, plants and human beings increased the drawers ability to lay down every theme or subject in a precise manner. He was a sharp observer, who still at a high age carried pencils and paper with him. The colour-blind artist was also skilled in some graphical techniques. He made nice litho and etches, but was particularly a master with the pencil. Kuperus was able to achieve with a black and white drawing what others did with colour.