Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art by Éditions des Musées de Strasbourg

Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art

9 7823 5 1 2517 75 9 €

Museum of

Modern and Contemporary Art

Focusing on the major changes in the 20th century art and highlighting the diversity and vitality of contemporary creation, the Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art offers a veritable panorama of modern and contemporary art in Western Europe from 1870 to the present.

HANDBOOK

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The invention of modernity

Portrait of Gargantua as an artist

After a childhood in Strasbourg, Gustave Doré followed his family to Bourg-enBresse and then Paris, where he embarked on a career as a caricaturist for the sati rical weekly Journal pour rire. He very quickly expanded his artistic range, creating a monumental body of work that included paintings, drawings, illustrated albums and illustrations. MAMCS holds nearly 500 works by the artist that attest to the richness of his œuvre. The enormous Christ quittant le prétoire (Christ Leaving the Praetorium), in which a diverse, contained crowd parts to make way for an immaculate Christ, reveals the theatricality of Doré’s compositions. Many of his drawings are preliminary works for his illustrated books, such as the Bible, Dante’s Inferno, La Fontaine’s Fables and Perrault’s fairy tales. As he did for Viviane et Merlin reposant (Viviane and Merlin Resting), the artist created watercolours and ink washes in which, with broad strokes and a few lines, he conjured up figures that continue to populate our imaginations to this day. T. L. Gustave Doré 1 Le Christ quittant le prétoire 1867–72, oil on canvas, 600 × 900 cm 2 L’Enfance de Pantagruel c. 1873, watercolour, pen and ink, pencil and white gouache on paper, 36 × 47.8 cm 3 Viviane et Merlin reposant c. 1867, wash and gouache highlights on pen and black ink on paper, 41.4 × 30 cm

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The invention of modernity

Gustave Doré 1 Le Christ quittant le prétoire

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The invention of modernity

Gustave Doré 2 L’Enfance de Pantagruel

Gustave Doré 3 Viviane et Merlin reposant

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The invention of modernity

Alfred Sisley 7 Les Coteaux de La Celle vus de Saint-Mammès, après-midi de septembre

Max Liebermann 8 Le Jardin de l’orphelinat communal de la ville d’Amsterdam

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The invention of modernity

Claude Monet 9 Champ d’avoine aux coquelicots

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The invention of modernity

Happiness is in the field

In the summer of 1890, in his tireless pursuit of light, Claude Monet attempted to capture the fleeting and fluctuating sight of an oat field dotted with poppies glowing in the sun. Retired to Giverny at the time, he painted a series of five canvases depicting this landscape with the same framing and from the same vantage point. The colour variations, less marked than in the series of haystacks he began that same year, subtly translate the changing effects of the light over the course of the day and the completely ephemeral nature of visual sensations. A great richness of textures and colour contrasts give full expression to Monet’s impressionistic touch. A snapshot of a summer day, the oat field seems to stretch as far as the eye can see, bathed in an atmospheric perspective, with only the hills and row of trees delineating a delicate horizon. C. P. Claude Monet 9 Champ d’avoine aux coquelicots c. 1890, oil on canvas, 65 × 92 cm

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The invention of modernity

Earthly paradise

Body and mind

In 1888 in search of humanity and nature unspoiled by any modern civilisation, Paul Gauguin left his Parisian life for good to explore other regions – Brittany, Martinique and Polynesia. In Nature morte à l’esquisse de Delacroix (Still Life with Delacroix Drawing), the tropical fruits and vegetables light up the canvas with their vibrant colours, highlighted in black, reminiscent of the cloisonnist style Gauguin developed in Pont-Aven with Les Nabis. The engraving after Delacroix in the background, which depicts Adam and Eve cast out of Paradise, gives the still life its full meaning. Gauguin is contrasting Western culture with primitive Edenic life and the generosity of the lush natural world and innocent culture he encountered in Martinique with his friend Charles Laval between June and November 1887. Prescient, the work also presages the artist’s ultimate destiny in his own earthly paradise. B. F.

Originally designed to decorate La Porte de l’enfer (The Gates of Hell), a monumental sculpture illustrating scenes from The Divine Comedy, Le Penseur (The Thinker) initially measured 70 centimetres and was supposed to be called “Le Poète” (“The Poet”), in reference to Dante himself contemplating his work. While retaining its place at the top of La Porte de l’enfer, it was isolated for independent display in 1888. In 1904 Le Penseur was enlarged to become a 180-centimetre work in its own right. Some twenty copies were made, most of them during the artist’s lifetime. Both the pose and craftsmanship of the sculpture are reminiscent of the classical academic model, but the exaggerated musculature gives us a glimpse of the underlying artistic liberty Rodin takes with reality. The sculpture shows a pensive man sitting on a rock. This could be a vision of the artist thinking about his work, the physical strength evoking the creator’s creative power and omnipotence. B. G.

Paul Gauguin 10 Nature morte à l’esquisse de Delacroix c. 1887, oil on canvas, 40 × 30 cm

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Auguste Rodin 11 Le Penseur 1904, plaster on round wood panel, hollow casting, 183.5 × 156.5 × 142 cm

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The invention of modernity

Paul Gauguin 10 Nature morte à l’esquisse de Delacroix

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Auguste Rodin 11 Le Penseur

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The historical avant-gardes

The Aubette building, located on the Place Kléber, is an emblematically modernist space. Its rooms, partly restored and open to the public, were designed entirely by artists, from floor to ceiling, including the furniture, signs, and lighting. As such, they are consistent with the mission of art championed by Sophie Taeuber-Arp: “un art total”.

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The historical avant-gardes

Squared circles

A total artist

Originally from Strasbourg, Marcelle Cahn The fact that Sophie Taeuber-Arp is recogleft for Berlin in the early 1910s to study nised as an essential figure of geometric drawing with Lovis Corinth. After the First abstraction is due in large part to the World War, she moved to Paris and many commissions she received in Strasattended classes given by Fernand Léger. bourg in 1926–27. In addition to her conFemme et voilier (Woman and Sailing Boat) tributions to the décor of the Aubette reflects the influence of the latter and of building, in collaboration with Hans Jean Amédée Ozenfant’s purism. Cahn reduced Arp and Theo van Doesburg, she also comthe objects and figures to simple, elemenpleted other projects for private collectary forms and chose muted colours, which tors in Strasbourg. The MAMCS collecshe applied in flat planes. The geometric tion holds studies and drawings from this construction eliminated all anecdote and period, in which a visual language based illusionism. The rounded lines of the chest on the subtle variation of coloured and and sharper angles of the sail and cruise orthogonal motifs dominates. Other ship interlock into a single harmonious works attest to her multidisciplinary unit. The large white sail conceals the boat approach, which included textiles as well but illuminates the female figure, which as painting, dance and the applied arts. seems to sway with the wind and rolling of Coupe Dada, remarkable for the simplicthe vessel. In 1930 Marcelle Cahn particiity and purity of its forms, foreshadows pated in the Cercle et Carré group exhibithe series of Têtes Dada (Dada Heads), tion with Piet Mondrian, Hans Jean Arp which were also made of turned wood. and Wassily Kandinsky, committing Guided by a quest for harmony combinfirmly to a non-figurative and geometric ing aesthetics and functionality, Sophie style. With 336 pieces by the artist in its Taeuber-Arp was a modest and visionary collections, MAMCS has one of the most pioneer who contributed to the history of significant holdings of works by this piothe avant-garde arts, from dada to conneer of abstraction. B. F. crete art. F. P. Marcelle Cahn 22 Femme et voilier c. 1926–27, oil on canvas, 66 × 50 cm

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Sophie Taeuber-Arp 23 Coupe Dada 1916, sculpture in the round, black varnished turned wood, 20.4 × 15 cm 24 Aubette 198 1927, pencil and gouache on papier (draft plan for the bar on the ground floor of the Aubette building), 22 × 73 cm 25 Composition abstraite désaxée c. 1926–27, stained glass, 46 × 44 cm

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The historical avant-gardes

Marcelle Cahn 22 Femme et voilier

Sophie Taeuber-Arp 23 Coupe Dada

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The historical avant-gardes

Sophie Taeuber-Arp 24 Aubette 198

Sophie Taeuber-Arp 25 Composition abstraite désaxée

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The temptations of abstraction

Abstraction, which emerged in the 1910s with František Kupka and Wassily Kandinsky, grew rapidly throughout Europe. This new relationship to form could also be seen in the work of artists of the Dada (Hans Jean Arp) and cubist movements. It continued to establish itself, including among artists claiming to be “figurative” and “realist” and all those who questioned the effects of form – that is, its role and expressive and poetic power within a composition – independent of subject. In search of an anti-illusionist output and the rejection of classic representation, these artists appropriated some of the principles their elders had manifested: the geometrisation of figures, simplification of forms, formal power of colour, use of so-called “essential” or “universal” lines, and dissolution of temporal and spatial points of reference.

Sarah Morris Midtown (Seagram Building) 1998, oil on canvas, 183 × 183 cm

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Stéphane Couturier Zum Georg-Treu-Platz, Dresden, from the Archéologie urbaine (Urban Archaeology) series 1997, Cibachrome on glossy paper, 113 × 143 cm

Auguste Herbin Relief en bois polychrome 1921, oil-painted polychrome wood, 98 × 48 × 30 cm

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65 Though separated by seventy years, the works of Auguste Herbin and Bernard Piffaretti attest to the same interest in symmetry. Herbin’s compositions were already radically structured by symmetry before he permanently abandoned figuration. For Piffaretti, symmetry is a protocol that allows him to reproduce on the right an initial painting executed on the left. The so-called photographie plasticienne (fineart photography) of Georges Rousse and Stéphane Couturier borrows its compositions from abstract painting. Following the rules of anamorphosis, Rousse paints a circle in the three dimensions of a real unused space. By positioning the camera at a precise location, the resulting photograph recreates the perfect geometric form. Couturier, for his part, reframes reality as a neo-plastician painting – as though transcribing Piet Mondrian or Theo van Doesburg’s principle of the grid to perceive facades and minimise depth.

Georges Rousse Strasbourg 1992, type C colour photograph mounted on aluminium, 120 × 160 cm

Bernard Piffaretti Sans titre 1998, acrylic on canvas, 193 × 242 cm

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Contemporary art

The 1960s saw the birth of decisive artistic movements that illustrated novel approaches as well as a new attitude – poetic and political – towards creation and its history. With the advent of pop art, minimal art and conceptual art, other approaches followed from the 1980s onwards that were increasingly resistant to attempts at classification. Leaving aside painting for a while, artists diversified their media and became interested in installations, performance, and video art. They explored new creative fields in a spirit of transdisciplinarity and openness to other geographic horizons. Oriented towards Europe, and more particularly towards France and Germany, the contemporary collection of MAMCS focuses on the French artistic currents of the 1960s, namely Nouveau Réalisme, Supports/Surfaces and BMPT, represented in particular by the artists Raymond Hains, Daniel Dezeuze and Daniel Buren. German “neo-expressionist” painting occupies a special place thanks to the works of Georg Baselitz, A. R. Penck and Jörg Immendorff. Because of their historical and international scope, Arte Povera, with Giuseppe Penone, and Fluxus, with Robert Filliou, are also present. This panorama, which includes recent creations, also highlights major French artists such as Christian Boltanski, Annette Messager, Bertrand Lavier and Xavier Veilhan, without overlooking artists from Alsace such as Patrick Bailly-Maître-Grand.

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Index of artists’ names Arman, p. 92 Nice, 1928–New York, 2005 Hans Jean Arp, p. 10, 41, 51, 56, 57, 58, 59, 64, 66 Strasbourg, 1886–Basel, 1966 Patrick-Bailly-MaîtreGrand, p. 69, 89, 91 Paris, 1945– Georg Baselitz, p. 11, 69, 77, 78 Deutschbaselitz, Germany, 1938– Max Beckmann, p. 10 Leipzig, 1884–New York, 1950 Christian Boltanski, p. 69, 79, 80 Paris, 1944– Georges Braque, p. 43, 44, 92 Argenteuil, France, 1882–Paris, 1963 Adolphe Braun, p. 34, 35 Besançon, 1812– Mulhouse, 1877 Victor Brauner, p. 11, 41, 60, 62 Piatra Neamt, Romania, 1903–Paris, 1966 Marcel Broodthaers, p. 96, 97 Saint-Gilles, Belgium, 1924–Cologne, 1976 Elina Brotherus, p. 97 Helsinki, 1972– Daniel Buren, p. 7, 69, 87, 88 Boulogne-Billancourt, France, 1938– Marcelle Cahn, p. 11, 51, 52 Strasbourg, 1895–Neuillysur-Seine, France, 1981 François-Rupert Carabin, p. 21, 22 Saverne, France, 1862– Strasbourg, 1932

Eugène Carrière p. 13, 30, 32 Gournay-sur-Marne, France, 1849–Paris, 1906 Clément Cogitore, p. 93 Colmar, 1983– Joseph Cornell, p. 51, 54, 56 Nyack, New York, 1903– New York, 1972 Stéphane Couturier, p. 64 Neuilly-sur-Seine, France, 1957– Richard Deacon, p. 66, 67 Bangor, United Kingdom, 1949– Damien Deroubaix, p. 11 Lille, 1972– Daniel Dezeuze, p. 69, 72, 74 Alès, France, 1942 Otto Dix, p. 94 Untermhaus, Germany, 1891–Singen, Germany, 1969 César Domela, p. 11 Amsterdam, 1900–Paris, 1992 Gustave Doré, p. 10, 13, 15, 16, 17 Strasbourg, 1832–Paris, 1883 Max Ernst, p. 11, 41, 55, 56 Brühl, Germany, 1891– Paris, 1976 Luciano Fabro, p. 38 Turin, 1936–Milan, 2007 Conrad Felixmüller, p. 10 Dresden, 1897–Berlin, 1977 Robert Filliou, p. 69, 81, 82 Sauve, France, 1926–Les Eyzies-de-Tayac, France, 1987

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Paul Gauguin, p. 27, 28 Paris, 1848–Hiva Oa, French Polynesia, 1903 Raymond Hains, p. 69, 71, 72 Saint-Brieuc, France, 1926–Paris, 2005 Auguste Herbin, p. 64, 65 Quiévy, France, 1882– Paris, 1960 Séverine Hubard, p. 8 Lille, 1977 Jörg Immendorff, p. 69, 75, 76 Bleckede, Germany, 1945–Düsseldorf, 2007 Michel Journiac, p. 97 Paris, 1935–Paris, 1995 Wassily Kandinsky, p. 41, 43, 47, 48, 49, 51, 64 Moscow, 1866–Neuillysur-Seine, France, 1944 Paul Klee, p. 10, 41, 43, 44 Münchenbuchsee, Switzerland, 1879– Muralto, Switzerland, 1940 Max Klinger, p. 13, 31, 33 Leipzig, 1857–Grossjena, Germany, 1920 Käthe Kollwitz, p. 10, 13, 31, 33 Königsberg, 1867– Moritzburg, Germany, 1945 František Kupka, p. 11, 41, 45, 46, 64 Opočno (present-day Czech Republic), 1871–Puteaux, 1957 Bertrand Lavier, p. 69, 86, 88 Châtillon-sur-Seine, France, 1949– Ange Leccia, p. 66 Minerviu, France, 1952– Claude Lévêque, p. 93 Nevers, France, 1953–

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99 Max Liebermann, p. 23, 24 Berlin, 1847–Berlin, 1935 Markus Lüpertz, p. 11 Liberec (present-day Czech Republic), 1941 René Magritte, p. 41, 61, 62 Lessines, Belgium, 1898– Brussels, 1967 Didier Marcel, p. 11 Besançon, France, 1961– Lika Marowska, p. 36 Metz, 1889–Gelnhausen, Germany, 1967 Mathieu Mercier, p. 11 Conflans-SainteHonorine, 1970– Mario Merz, p. 8 Milan, 1925–Turin, 200 Cildo Meireles, p. 94 Rio de Janeiro, 1948– Annette Messager, p. 10, 69, 83, 84 Berck, France, 1943– Claude Monet, p. 13, 23, 25 Paris, 1840–Giverny, 1926 Sarah Morris, p. 64 London, 1967– Alfonse Mucha, p. 13, 19, 20 Ivančice (present-day Czech Republic), 1860– Prague, 1939 Aurelie Nemours, p. 71, 72 Paris, 1910–Paris, 2005 Mimmo Paladino, p. 1, 8 Paduli, Italy, 1948– Pino Pascali, p. 66, 67 Bari, Italy, 1935–Rome, 1968 A. R. Penck, p. 11, 69, 77, 78 Dresden, 1939–Zurich, 2017

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Giuseppe Penone, p. 69, 73, 74 Garessio, Italy, 1947– Pablo Picasso, p. 38, 43, 92 Málaga, Spain, 1881– Mougins, France, 1973 Bernard Piffaretti, p. 65 Saint-Étienne, 1955– Albert Renger-Patzsch, p. 34, 35 Würzburg, Germany, 1897–Wamel, Netherlands, 1966 Auguste Renoir, p. 23, 30, 32 Limoges, 1841–Cagnessur-Mer, France, 1919 Jean-Désiré Ringel d’Illzach, p. 36, 37 Illzach, France, 1847– Strasbourg, 1916 Auguste Rodin, p. 13, 27, 29 Paris, 1840–Meudon, 1917 Georges Rousse, p. 65 Paris, 1947– Niki de Saint Phalle, p. 38, 39 Neuilly-sur-Seine, France, 1930–San Diego, 2002 Thomas Schütte, p. 6, 8 Oldenburg, Germany, 1954– Franck Scurti, p. 11 Lyon, 1965– Alain Séchas, p. 94, 95 Colombes, France, 1955– Paul Signac, p. 63 Paris, 1863–Paris, 1935 Alfred Sisley, p. 23, 24, 34, 35 Paris, 1839–Moret-surLoing, France, 1899 Charles Spindler, p. 36, 37 Boersch, France, 1865–Saint-Léonard, France, 1938

Sophie Taeuber-Arp, p. 10, 41, 50, 51, 52, 53 Davos, 1889–Zurich, 1943 Niele Toroni, p. 63 Muralto, Switzerland, 1937– Félix Vallotton, p. 38 Lausanne, 1865–Neuillysur-Seine, France, 1925 Theo Van Doesburg, p. 10, 51, 65 Utrecht, 1883–Davos, 1931 Xavier Veilhan, p. 69, 83, 85 Lyon, 1963– Bill Viola, p. 89, 90 New York, 1951– Charles David Winter, p. 18, 19, 20 Strasbourg, 1821– Strasbourg, 1904

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Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art

HANDBOOK

Modern and Contemporary Art

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