VILLA HENN Y Geometric style icon in the Netherlands (page 50)
DISC R ET E C H IC
BEHIND THE SCENES AT TEFAF ORGI E S , WA R A N D T H E L A ST J U D GM E N T
The visions of Hieronymus Bosch 30 0,0 0 0 OBJ EC TS
The storage facility of the Rijksmuseum •PLUS• 3 C OLUM N ISTS , 18 T ROU VA I L L E S , A N D 2 4 I T E M S I N A U N IQU E E NSE M BL E 8
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EDITORIAL
can be ranked among the world’s great museums with its spectacular, sweeping exhibition around Hieronymus Bosch. Using a very unusual means of exchange, the museum managed to extract 20 paintings and 19 drawings from the likes of the Museo Nacional del Prado in Madrid, the Musée du Louvre in Paris and The National Gallery of Art in Waive years ago we launched shington. You can read more Vernis on the 100th anniverabout that on page 28. sary of what is now the Royal In the light of the everart dealers’ association greater internationalization VHOK. This magazine has of the art world, we are also provided us with a medium pleased to have partnered through which we can tell with the magazine Diplomat our stories of the art world Affairs, a controlled circulaThe art world is changing rapidly: the evermore with passion. We are delighttion publication. Targeting international art trade wants to see art fairs that ed to present you with our the diplomatic corps, Diplocan capitalize on that and our own magazine tenth edition on the eve of mat Affairs aims to give a TEFAF Maastricht 2016. light-hearted look into the Vernis has also become more cosmopolitan. I have often been remindworld of ambassadors and ed of the words of the Amerpolitics. Diplomat Affairs is inican physicist Thomas Kuhn over recent our business acquaintances have a apart- cluded in a special edition of Vernis and we months. He became famous after the ment or a pied-à-terre within walking dis- welcome all Excellencies and other readers publication of his 1962 book, in which tance of the place. This relatively small fair from the upper echelons of the art world. he writes that his world is witnessing a building offers space to around 75 stands, We hope that you will enjoy reading our “paradigm shift”. Today, the art world is which means that every year 150 art dealers new edition and look forward to welcomundergoing rapid and fundamental can exhibit there. The first TEFAF New ing you at TEFAF Maastricht, ART Breda changes. We have been noticing this for a York Fall is scheduled for coming Octo- or in one of our own galleries and shops. number of years, but the changes are more ber, with a focus on classical art. In May far-reaching than we expected. A new ap- 2017, the boutique fair TEFAF New York proach is needed to address the increased Spring will focus on modern and contememphasis on quality and the far more in- porary art. Both events will exponentially ternational nature of our clientele. increase international awareness of As this edition of Vernis went to print, TEFAF Maastricht. In this edition of TEFAF Maastricht announced that it was Vernis, Jonathan Green, the director of the heading to New York. The board of one of London-based family art firm and a the world’s most influential fairs has been TEFAF board member, discusses the looking around for years. An adventure in changes that TEFAF’s expansion to New China was cancelled for the right reasons York brings with it. at an early stage, but now TEFAF is going We also take an exclusive look behind the T E X T to organize two events at the most prestig- scenes at the Rijksmuseum. We were one of Robert D. Aronson ious address in Manhattan, the Park Ave- the few publications to gain access to the Chairman Koninklijke Vereeniging nue Armory, a 19th-century military storage facility of this world-class museum. van Handelaren in Oude Kunst in structure on the Upper East Side. Many of These days Het Noordbrabants Museum the Netherlands
ART TRADE CROSSES BORDERS
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Photo report: TEFAF Ivo Weyel takes a look behind the scenes at TEFAF, a world of discrete chic that stretches all the way to Maastricht Aachen Airport.
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Hieronymus Bosch
“Get the first plane out and go see this,” The Times wrote about the Hieronymus Bosch exhibition in Het Noordbrabants Museum. Nearly all the works of this artistic genius are on display.
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F E AT U R E S... 003 | Editorial 004 | Contents 011 | Trouvailles 027 | Column Ivo Weyel 004
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039 | C olumn Yvo van Regteren Altena
063 | Guest column Christoph Martin Vogtherr
096 | M embership list Koninklijke VHOK
Villa Henny Architect Robert van ‘t Hoff’s design of Villa Henny is unique. The 20th-century villa is one of only a handful of houses that Van ‘t Hoff designed before he grew disillusioned and left architecture. spring 2016
Frides LamĂŠris Art and Antique specialized in glass and ceramics
Please come and visit us in Amsterdam We are only a three hour drive by car or by train from the Tefaf in Maastricht. In the middle of the Art and Antiques district The Spiegelkwartier, next to the Rijksmuseum Amsterdam NIEUWE SPIEGELSTRAAT 55 | 1017 DD AMSTERDAM | 00.31.20.6264066 | OPEN FROM MONDAY UNTIL SATURDAY 10:00-18:00
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Interview Jonathan Green “The art market doesn’t need to worry about a new crisis,” says Jonathan Green, director of the Richard Green Gallery in London and a TEFAF board member.
Storage facility: the Rijksmuseum Eurokluis in Lelystad is a place to dig for treasure: this is where they store the pieces for which there is no space in the Rijksmuseum.
A L SO... 024 | My favourite piece Serah Jap-A-Joe was excited by the un-Dutch feel of this Dutch trumeau.
036 | My favourite piece A Heriz rug was love at second site for Ramses and Simone van Hövell tot Westerflier.
058 | D iary Stepping out with the members of the Koninklijke VHOK. 060 | I n focus ’s-Hertogenbosch has a rich history, also in the domain of art and culture.
072 | The specialists of the Koninklijke VHOK open up a wealth of knowledge.
090 | Course programme Learn from an old master. 094 | The Circle of Friends of the Koninklijke VHOK gives you a chance to look over an expert’s shoulder.
098 | Antique of the future Constant’s infinite line. 006
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Ensemble Distinguished table arrangements and equine excellence photographed by Marie Cécile Thijs. spring 2016
Roman Theatre Mask 1st - 2nd centuries AD Giallo Antico marble, imported from the Simitthus quarries in Tunisia in Imperial times 41 cm Height
L贸pez de Arag贸n Maastricht 2016 - Stand 175 w w w. l o p e z d e a ra g o n . c o m | d i e g o @ l o p e z d e a ra g o n . c o m | + 3 4 6 2 9 2 2 9 8 7 2
C OL OPHON
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VOLUME 06 #10
Editor-in-chief
Mischa van de Woestijne Managing editor
Melinda Braaksma / Edit Value (melinda@editvalue.nl) English translation
Francesca de Châtel Art direction
Antoine Hamers / Wolk Ontwerp (antoine@wolkontwerp.nl) Publisher and magazine concept
Mischa van de Woestijne / MI7 Media Intelligence (mischa@mi7.nl) Contributors TEXT
Onno Aerden, Melinda Braaksma, Aya Langeveld, Yvo van Regteren Altena, Jettie Rozemond, Christoph Martin Vogtherr, Ivo Weyel, Mischa van de Woestijne PHOTOGR APHY
Peter Boer, Herman van Heusden, Friso Keuris, Tekenteam.nl, Marie Cécile Thijs, Borzo Gallery, Richard Green Gallery, het Rijksmuseum, Het Noordbrabants Museum With special thanks to
Robert Aronson, Ilse Daatselaar, Caroline Esbach, Frouke Jorna, Paul Wullems Advertising, subscriptions and back issues
Koninklijke Vereeniging van Handelaren in Oude Kunst in Nederland Damrak 375 NL-1012 ZJ Amsterdam TELEPHONE +31 (0)20-6238904 E-MAIL info@kvhok.nl INTERNET www.kvhok.nl Printing
Van Aalst Printmanagement, Zaandijk Distribution
Both the Dutch and English versions of Vernis have a print run of 18,000 copies. Vernis is distributed through the members of the Koninklijke VHOK and at the main art fairs in the Netherlands and Belgium, including TEFAF Maastricht and PAN Amsterdam. vernis
VILLA HENN Y MAGAZINE OF THE ROYAL ASSOCIATION OF FINE ART DEALERS IN THE NETHERLANDS (KVHOK)
Geometric style icon in the Netherlands (page 50)
DISC R ET E C H IC
BEHIND THE SCENES AT TEFAF
VOLUME 06
ORGI E S , WA R A N D T H E L A ST J U D GM E N T
The visions of Hieronymus Bosch
SPRING 2016 #10
30 0,0 0 0 OBJ EC TS
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COVER IMAGE: FROM THE FEATURE ‘VILLA HENNY’ (SEE PAGE 50) PHOTOGRAPHY: FRISO KEURIS © 2016 KVHOK/MI7 MEDIA INTELLIGENCE VERNIS IS A PUBLICATION OF THE KVHOK AND MI7 MEDIA INTELLIGENCE. NO PART OF THIS PUBLICATION MAY BE REPRODUCED, INCORPORATED IN AN ELECTRONIC DATABASE OR PUBLISHED, IN ANY FORM, WITHOUT PRIOR PERMISSION IN WRITING BY THE RIGHT HOLDERS. (COPYRIGHT ACT, ARTICLE 15) ISSN 2211-4017
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T ROU VA I L L E S
What makes an antique object or special query really exceptional? The remarkable story about the origin and the at times truly extraordinary obstacles that had to be overcome before the ‘treasure’ could be secured. You can read some of these stories in this edition of Vernis.
TROUVAILLES SPECI A L TH A NKS TO
Caroline Eschbach
A NTIQUA IR JU W ELIER M A RJA N STERK
Tête de Bélier pendant, René Boivin René Boivin is perhaps not the most well-known, but certainly one of the most influential jewellers of the 20th century. After his death, his wife Jeanne Boivin took over the company. Together with leading designers such as Suzanne Belperron and Juliette Moutard, she created the most iconic jewellery pieces. It is remarkable that so many women played a leading role
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in this company. Perhaps this is why Boivin jewellery is highly sought after and why women around the world love to wear pieces like this ram’s head from the ‘Signes du Zodiaque’ series.
Origin Paris, France, produced around 1970, after a 1964 design Material and technique 18-carat yellow gold, silver, ruby Dimensions H 57 mm, excl. bail Price Upon request
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GALERIE TINY ESVELD
Sevilla World Expo 1992 chair, Frans van Praet The Belgian pavilion at the Seville World Expo ’92 was considered to be one of the exhibition’s most attractive displays. More than 2.4 million people visited the pavilion during the sixmonth exhibition. The pavilion’s interior was designed by Frans Van Praet, famous for his crystal Sevilla Chair, a work that was produced especially for the World Expo in a
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limited edition of 50 pieces. All the crystal chairs are numbered and this is number 8/50. To show off its craftsmanship, the Belgian crystal factory Val St Lambert cut and engraved this chair to reflect the light through the crystal.
Provenance Belgian collector Origin Belgium, 1992 Material and technique Val St Lambert crystal Dimensions 40 cm Price € 8,700
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T ROU VA I L L E S
GUDE & MEIS ANTIEKE KLOKKEN
French bronze and marble sculptural clock, Barrard & Vignon At first glance this piece appears to represent Atlas but the lion’s skin points rather to Hercules. Indeed, according to Greek mythology, Hercules carried the universe for a short period. He had ordered Atlas to steal the apples of the Hesperides. But upon return Atlas wanted to bring the apples to Eurystheus himself and leave Hercules behind. However, through a clever ruse Hercules managed to convince Atlas to take the universe on his shoulders again.
Provenance Private collection Origin France, around 1860 Material and technique Patinated bronze, griotte rouge marble Dimensions H 94 x W 34 x D 28 cm Price € 28,000
DOU W ES FINE A RT
Le Port du Tréport, le Matin, Normandie, Johan Barthold Jongkind This exceptionally large, colourful and detailed masterpiece by the leading precursor of the Impressionist movement, Johan Barthold Jongkind (1819-1891) will be displayed at the exhibition ‘Wanderlust - in Dutch Art since 1850’, at De Hallen in Haarlem from May 2016. The painting was part of a private collection for more than 60 years and this is the first time it will be shown again. In 1852 it was submitted to the Paris Salon where it won a medal. It was shown at the 1967 ‘Fantasie en Werkelijkheid’ (‘Fantasy and Reality’) exhibition in the Dordrechts Museum (no. 79) and in the 1971 ‘J.B. Jongkind’ exhibition in the Rijksmuseum Twente (cat. no. 8).
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Provenance Huijnck & Scherjon, Amsterdam; Martin Asscher, London, 1949; bought by Douwes Fine Art; the piece was sold to a Dutch private collector in Leeuwarden in the 1950s and has stayed in the same collection ever since. Origin France, 1851 Material and technique Oil on canvas Dimensions 106 x 170 cm Price Upon request
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KUNSTHANDEL A.H. BIES
Dutch winter landscape with skaters, a horse-drawn sleigh and a refreshment stall, Andreas Schelfhout Andreas Schelfhout’s (1787-1870) ice landscapes are among the most sought-after winter landscapes. The work from 1852 is of exceptional artistic quality and can therefore be considered to be one of his best pieces. While Schelfhout’s paintings fetched between 20,000 and 30,000 guilders at the most back then, this painting was auctioned for a record figure of 360,000 guilders (excluding the mark-up percentage) in 1973 at the auctioneer’s Max van Waay in Amsterdam. Allegedly tensions in the auction room ran so high that people fainted.
Provenance Private collection, The Netherlands Origin The Netherlands, 1852 Material and technique Oil on panel Dimensions 77 x 105 cm Price Upon request
ROBERT SCHREUDER A NTIQUA IR
Napoleon le Grand, Auguste Gaspard Louis Boucher Desnoyers This beautiful engraving by Auguste Gaspard Louis Boucher Desnoyers (17791857), a full-length portrait of Napoleon standing in front of the throne in his coronation robes with a laurel wreath on his head, is based on the official painting by Baron François Gérard (1770 - 1837). What makes the engraving unique is the small stamp (a crowned eagle) beneath the image. Napoleon ordered for the first 1,000 copies to be adorned with this stamp and gave them as personal gifs to his officers and friends. Most of these first copies have by now been lost.
Provenance Private collection, France Origin France, 1810 Material and technique Engraving in gilded wooden Empire frame Dimensions 94 x 75 cm Price € 4,500
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T ROU VA I L L E S
BASTINGS A NTIQUA IRS
Capture and surrender of the city of Den Bosch, Charles Rochussen The painting shows Frederik Hendrik van Oranje (with hat in hand), with to his right General Count Ernst Casimir (in suit of armour) and to his left, on a white horse, A.S. van Grobbendonck, as he surrenders the city of Den Bosch on behalf of Spain in 1629. Further back in the pavilion tent, Amalia van Solms is shown with her children and the royal household. The destroyed Vughter Poort and the St. John’s Cathedral can be discerned in the background. Charles Rochussen (1814-1894) painted this monumental work and gifted it to the Historical Gallery of the Amsterdam artist’s association Arti et Amicitiae, where
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he was a chairman in 1864/65 and where there were 104 paintings by famous Dutch painters on display. After a number of years in London, the piece was displayed in the Haags Gemeentemuseum for a few years in the early 20th century. A small preliminary study in water colour is part of the Van Lanschot collection.
Provenance Arti et Amicitiae, Amsterdam; art dealership in London; art collector in The Hague Origin The Netherlands, dated 1864 Material and technique Oil on canvas Dimensions 105 x 178 cm (in original frame) Price € 60,000
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FOUM A NI PERSIA N GA LLERY
White bowl This white bowl from Rayy is an exceptionally rare example of 12th-century ceramics production. The simple shape and hand-modelled ribs on the exterior are unique. The only other bowl of this kind is on display at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York (cat. nr. 29.160.3).
Provenance Amsterdam private collection Origin Rayy, Persia (Iran), 12th century Material and technique Quartz paste fritware Dimension H 10.2 x D 13.5 cm Price Upon request
F R I D E S L A M É R I S K U N S T- E N ANTIEKHANDEL
Engraved Friendship Goblet signed ‘Adams’, L. Adams According to Denis Diderot (1713-1784), toasts to friendship were the most important salutes pronounced at a Dutch dinner table. Special glasses were engraved for the occasion, often depicting two men. This glass is rare because it celebrates a friendship between women. The glass shows two ladies in antique garments sitting next to each other on a bench beside an altar. One of the women holds a burning heart in her hand. The inscription ‘Vriendschap’ (Friendship) appears below. The glass is signed ‘Adams’.
Provenance Private collection Origin The Netherlands or England with Dutch engraving , late 18th century Material and technique Lead glass with diamondstipple engraving Dimensions H 17.1 cm, diameter goblet 8.5 cm, diameter foot 8.6 cm Price Upon request
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FONTIJN ANTIEK
Atmos clock, Signatuur: ‘J L. Reutter’ This is an early type of the famous and highly valued Atmos clock, made by the Compagnie Générale de Radiologie in the Paris suburb of Courbevoie and signed by its inventor Jean-Léon Reutter. Atmos clocks draw energy from changing temperatures and air pressure which ensure permanent motion and drive the pendule perpétuelle. In this early example, the clock is operated by a drum with a U-shaped tube filled with mercury
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and gas. Besides the fact that this sophisticated clock is an early piece, its fine Art Deco design and skeleton clock face also distinguish it from its successors.
Provenance Private collection Origin France, around 1930 Material and technique Nickel-plated casing with five facetted glass sides, silver-plated clock face. Dimensions H 22 x W 17.5 x D 16.5 cm Price Upon request
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HEUTINK IKONEN
Extended Deesis The image on the icon is an extended Deesis. The iconography of a Deesis is characterized by a group of saints turned towards Christ as they pronounce an intercessory prayer to seek mercy for the entire human race. The composition of the figures is very balanced, the proportions are perfect and the faces are painted in a fine and clearly recognizable style. The colours are earthy and warm, which is very characteristic of icons from northern Russia. Besides its aesthetic quality, this icon also distinguishes itself through its age – it is one of the few 16th-century icons currently on sale – condition and provenance. This icon was exhibited in 1928 in Brussels, during an exhibition of modern and ancient Russian art. This is remarkable because at the time there was almost no interest in icons in the Western world.
Provenance Belgian private collection Origin Northern Russia, late 16th century Material and technique Egg-tempera on gesso on wood Dimensions 89 x 23 cm Price Upon request
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T ROU VA I L L E S
KUNSTH A NDEL JACQUES FIJNAUT
Silver fountain, Hendrik Nieuwenhuys Large pieces of Dutch silverware are rare as these objects were the first to be sold off in the past. This fountain was probably centrally positioned in a built-in sideboard that formed an integral part of the wainscoting and panelling in the reception rooms of 18th-century houses. Such sideboards were used to display valuable glass- and silverware.
Provenance Private collection Origin Amsterdam, Netherlands, 1780 Material and technique Silver Dimensions H 48 cm Price Upon request
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F I R M A S. VA N L EEU W EN
Walnut secretary top desk This secretary desk that was made in the Netherlands has a strong English influence, which was common in this period. The English touch is clearly visible in the straight lower part of the cabinet with English fittings and bun feet. The top is unmistakably Dutch and can be attributed to the Amsterdam furniture maker Jan Meier. The facetted mirrors in the doors are designed to reflect candle light. This secretary desk is full of
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surprises: it has 41 drawers – all decorated with a herring bone pattern – including five ‘secret’ drawers. The high quality and size of this piece make it very attractive and easy to place.
Provenance Private collection Origin The Netherlands, around 1725 Material and technique Oakwood glued with walnut veneer, with facetted mirrors in the doors Dimensions H 235 x W 110 x D 60/97 cm Price Upon request
spring 2016
T ROU VA I L L E S
A. A A RDEW ERK A NTIQUA IR JU W ELIER
The Van Belle tobacco box with golden lid, Louis de Haan and Jan Bagnol This unusual and impressive oval silver tobacco box has a heavy and beautifully decorated golden lid. The box was a gift from the city council to its secretary Jacob van Belle, Lord of Sleeuwijk, who had worked for the council for 47 years and had reorganized the Rotterdam city archives without payment. The quantity of gold used in this piece is remarkable because gold was eight and a half times more valuable than silver in the 18th century. This is why only few golden objects were produ-
gold. The Rotterdam coat of arms is embossed and engraved into the middle of the lid. This piece was for many years part of the collection of the Rotterdams Historisch Museum, where it was on permanent loan from the family.
ced in the Netherlands. The pieces that are known, are usually small and low in weight. The lid of this box contains more than 300 grammes of
Provenance Jacob van Belle (1685 -1762); Jacoba Catharina van Belle (1718-1798); family ownership Origin The Netherlands, 1757 Material and technique Embossed gold and silver, the golden lid is engraved and embossed Dimensions H 7.1 x W 13 cm, 800 g Price Upon request
THEO DA ATSEL A A R FINE A RTS & A NTIQUES
Dutch Louis XVI sideboard ‘klapbuffet’ This so-called ‘klapbuffet’ sideboard with a fountain and basin is of particularly fine construction and execution. The top can be extended to create a large surface area, so that candle holders can for
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example be placed at both ends. This is unusual because the top is usually folded out. This richly veneered piece was probably produced in a workshop in the cosmopolitan city of The Hague.
Provenance Private collection Origin The Netherlands, around 1790 Material and technique Oak frame veneered with satinrose- palm/boxwood, ebony, maple, mahogany; pewter fountain and basin Dimensions H 90 x W 134 x D 62 cm Price Upon request
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K U N S T C ON S U LT - 20T H C E N T U R Y A R T | OBJ EC T S
Unique tea cabinet, Michel de Klerk Michel de Klerk (1884-1923) is considered to be the most important architect and furniture designer of the Amsterdamse School. His furniture pieces are rare and form part of public collections in the Rijksmuseum Amsterdam, Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam, Centraal Museum Utrecht and The Wolfsonian Institute in Miami. This decorative tea cabinet, of which this is the only known example, will be presented at TEFAF (Showcase). It was previously exhibited in 1925 at the famous Paris
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exhibition from which the Art Deco movement takes its name: the Exposition internationale des Arts décoratifs et industriels modernes. Museum Boijmans van Beuningen and Design Museum Gent also included this piece in their joint exhibition Design Derby Nederland-België 1815-2015 (2015/2016).
Provenance Private collection Origin The Netherlands, 1917 Material and technique Mahogany, ebony and coromandel Dimensions H 88 x W 139 x D 63 cm Price Upon request
spring 2016
T ROU VA I L L E S
A RONSON A NTIQUA IRS
Blue-and-white flower pyramids, Attributed to Dirck Witsenburgh, owner of the Witte Ster (White Star) factory When Robert Aronson and his father visited a distinguished Belgian couple 15 years ago they were surprised to find they had a pair of blue-and-white flower pyramids in their home. While they were not for sale at the time, the owners promised that when they were ready to sell, they would come to the Aronsons. In the early summer of 2015, the couple fulfilled the promise they had made during that first encounter. The height of the so-called tulip vases is remarkable: these are the tallest tulipières on the market since 1991.
Provenance Private Belgian collection before 1913 and thereafter through inheritance Origin The Netherlands, around 1695 Material and technique Delftware Dimensions 104.6 and 105.8 cm Price Upon request
RUBEN A A RDEW ERK A NTIQUES
Seal in the shape of a Chinaman, Charles Gouyn’s Factory Objects like this seal were previously thought to be Girl-in-a-Swing porcelain from the first period of Chelsea porcelain, but this one was in fact produced in Charles Gouyn’s factory in St. James in London’s Westminster. He was also a partner in the Chelsea porcelain factory until 1748. Baubles such as perfume bottles, seals and cases were treated with a very fine glaze that allowed for distinctive modelling. They were painted with cold enamel paint and decorated with a gilt or golden frame.
Provenance Private collection Dutch antique dealer Origin England, 1749-1760 Material and technique Soft-paste porcelain, enamel paint, with 14-carat golden frame and engraved cornelian matrix Dimensions 2.9 x 1.4 cm Price € 1,650
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MY FAVOURITE PIECE
M Y FAVOU R I T E PI ECE
UN-DUTCH BUT STILL DUTCH grew up in Villa Henny in Huis ter Heide, designed by Robert van ’t Hoff (1887-1979, ed.). Van ’t Hoff was an architect and furniture designer and one of the members of De Stijl. He studied in Britain and the States, where he met the legendary architect Frank Lloyd Wright. You can clearly see Wright’s influence in the design of the Villa (see page 50). My NAME parents didn’t buy the house for its name or SER A H its history, but because it had lots of light JA P-A-JOE and space. And while they aren’t collectors, OBJECT they have always been interested in art and TRUME AU FROM 1810 design.” “My parents taught me that quality is SPECIAL THE LIONS TH AT GI V E more important than quantity. You’re THIS PIECE OF better off saving up for longer to buy one FUR NITUR E A N exceptional item that really adds something UN-DUTCH LOOK to your interior, than filling your home with odds and ends. But while I’m very strict when it comes to quality, I’m easy-going when it comes to the composition of my collection. I’m never looking for anything specific, but when I come across something the main thing is how I feel about it – whether I find it beautiful and can draw inspiration from it. It could be antique, modern or avant-garde.” ›› 024
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MY FAVOURITE PIECE
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MY FAVOURITE PIECE
“In 2003 I went to the opening night of TEFAF with my parents and my brother. We passed the stand of an antique dealer friend and were immediately taken by this sober trumeau adorned with decorative lions and a black marble tabletop. The antique dealer had a wonderful story about this early 19th-century piece. I was surprised to learn that the trumeau was made in the Netherlands; Dutch furniture as I know it is sober, without lavish lion decorations. That made it all the more interesting. I immediately fell in love – with the piece that is.” “I can’t remember whether we bought the piece on the spot or came back later that night. We didn’t bargain, because I go on the presumption that an antique dealer knows what an object is worth. It wasn’t cheap; we could have bought a nice medi026
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um-sized car with that money. But it is real quality and it is a unique piece that will never lose its value – though I would never sell it. At the time I was living in a restored
‘It wasn’t cheap; we could have bought a nice medium-sized car with that money’
church and had no space for the trumeau so it made sense to put it in my parents’ house, especially when we realized how well it fitted into this alcove. As soon as it was delivered to the house, we saw exactly where it would fit, like a puzzle, as if it had been made for that space. Amazing – it immediately became part of the house.”
TEXT
Mischa van de Woestijne IM AGES
Friso Keuris
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carriage from the Han dynasty, all private property of the owner who is keen to share it with his guests and even sell some of it in what must be the world’s most expensive hotel souvenir shop: “Excuse me Miss, how much does this oil burner cost?” “$3,300, Sir.” sk any real estate agent to list “That’s a bit pricey.” the three most important “I will just ring the owner criteria for the value of a and see if we arrange somehouse and he will say: “Locathing.” Ten minutes later: tion, location, location.” I “You can have it for was reminded of this as $3,200, Sir.” I browsed around another The Hermitage Hotel in Jahotel furniture auction. karta is teeming with antique This time, the sledgehammaps and colonial furniture mers were getting ready to from the Dutch period. knock down the 40-year-old Proudly framed antique No more fake antiques for Ivo Weyel; he Hilton Schiphol, so in terms prints show humble Javanese only goes for the real stuff, with the right of furniture it wasn’t much to personnel offering refreshprovenance. But even then, you sometimes write home about. I have atments to their White Masters tended many other such aucand even a slave girl fanning get less than you bargain for. tions, including those of a pet monkey. Isn’t this a prestigious establishments: tiny bit cringe-worthy? Try the famous Hotel de Paris in Monaco, me that the mantra “location, location, displaying these back home; there would the Crillon and Plaza-Athénée in Paris, location,” also applies to furniture. They be hell to pay. But the most remarkable the London Savoy and the Okura in Tokyo won’t be making much profit out of this piece I find above my bed: a 19th-century (to name but a few) were all getting rid lot, I thought when I visited my first such print showing two endearing Indonesian of their furniture ahead of large-scale auction. housemaids busying themselves with renovations. But then I’d forgotten about prove- dusters and serving trays. The label reads There they were, standing forlornly in nance. Of course, silly me. Origin is at Slave Girls. the auction hall: the beds and bedside ta- least as important as location. And when Sometimes antiques are overtaken by bles, mantelpieces and table lamps dans le they came to auction, some of these pieces the past. goût de la Chine, the sofas dans le style Louis XIV fetched 10, 20, 30, sometimes even 100 or XV of XVI (and usually something in times more than their estimated value: between – dans le style Louis XIV ½), the fau- wobbly table lamps on a Chinese foot for teuils à la reine, the appliques and commodes € 3,000 (valued at € 80), a guéridon (fancy dans le style something-or-other. There jargon for a little table) à la reine (in the abwere also some real antiques, usually small, sence of a king’s style, go for the queen) such as a wall lamp, a mirror or the occa- valued at € 100, for € 6,000. sional wall cabinet. But stripped of all the So now I’ve had it with fake antiques in pomp and circumstance of the glorious hotels. I only go for the real stuff. In the hotels to which they had once belonged, lobby of The Siam in Bangkok I come eye to T E X T they had suddenly become pitiful orphans, eye with cupboards full of 14th-century Ivo Weyel sad rickety pieces of furniture dans le style Chinese porcelain, Neolithic pottery I L L U S T R A T I O N très très pauvre. That’s when it occurred to from 3600 BC and a gigantic horse and Tekenteam.nl
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EXHIBITION HIERONYMUS BOSCH
HIERONYMUS BOSCH
VISIONS OF A GENIUS A nightmare, hallucinations, a bad trip or a glimpse into the mind of a creative genius? Five hundred years after his death, the artist Hieronymus Bosch continues to be a source of endless fascination.
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Hieronymus Bosch, The Ship of Fools, c. 1500–1510, Paris, Musée du Louvre, Département des Peintures.
Hieronymus Bosch, Saint Jerome at Prayer, c. 1485– 1495, Ghent, Museum voor Schone Kunsten.
or centuries researchers have been mesmerized by the work of Hieronymus Bosch. Some speculated that he was insane and suffered from delusions. Some said that he was a heretic or a follower of a mysterious sect. Others joked that he was simply a dirty old man who occasionally took hallucinogenic drugs. Whatever the case, many artists have been inspired by his work, including masters like Dalí and Escher. Even today, Bosch frequently plays a role in modern culture, inspiring prints on Dr. Martens boots and Star Wars characters. Why does the work of a late-medieval artist still have such broad appeal? What makes it so special?
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Outstanding innovator “It is a poor spirit which works with the inventions of others, and is unable to bring forth its own ideas.” Bosch scribbled this phrase above the drawing The field has eyes and the forest has ears. Considering that all his works are filled with creative inventions, the phrase can be seen as Bosch’s artistic motto. Bosch was an outstanding innovator. With an imagination that was seemingly boundless, he enlivened scenes that no one else could even envision. He also had an exceptional eye for detail. What else do we know about Bosch? As his name suggests, he came from Den Bosch, where he was born around 1450 as Hieronymus van Aken. Later he started signing as Hieronymus Bosch, which is how he has been known since then. He is also known as the ‘devil maker’, an obvious moniker to those familiar with his work. Besides the many little monsters and hellish beasts that adorn his panels, Bosch also painted a remarkable number of fires. This can perhaps be explained by the fact that when he was young a large fire swept through the city. As houses were still built of wood at the time, such fires could easily wipe out half a city. This shocking experience was probably etched on his mind and continued to be a source of inspiration in his paintings. The hereafter also plays an important role in Bosch’s art, though he was clearly more fascinated by hell than by heaven. “The Last Judgment” is a recurring theme which he painted several times, always dedicating significantly more space to the depiction of hell and its inhabitants than to images of heaven. In his works Bosch showed what an earthly life full of sin might lead to and he did so with strong conviction. His paintings are dominated by depictions of strange and terrifying creatures who abandon themselves to orgies, torture and fighting. It is easy to imagine ›› vernis#10
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that the paintings must have made a deep impression on his contemporaries. It is therefore no wonder that Bosch was already a celebrated artist in the 15th and 16th century. He even enjoyed international fame. His works were acquired by famous historical figures, such as Philip the Fair, the duke of Burgundy, and also became part of the Spanish royal collection. Some of his works have remained in these collections; others have become part of large museum collections after passing from one owner to another over the centuries. Retrospective Five centuries after Bosch’s death, Het Noordbrabants Museum in Den Bosch is splashing out with an impressive retrospective of the artist’s work. It places the museum, which was fully restored and renovated a few years ago, in the international spotlight. On the one hand, it is an unusual step for a regional museum that does not have a single work by Bosch in its collection; on the other hand, it is obvious that this exhibition should be organized in the city where the artist was born and to which he owes his name. The museum’s director, Charles de Mooij, is especially proud: “Bosch is the most important and original medieval artist our country has produced. It is wonderful that we can today display the majority of his works in his birthplace, 500 years after his death. It is also an incredible opportunity for a new generation to get acquainted with this work, which is unique in every respect.” Means of exchange Bosch’s works are housed in some of the world’s most famous museums, including the Musée du Louvre in Paris and The National Gallery of Art in Washington, where they are considered to be highlights of the collection. Anyone who has ever been involved in organizing an exhibition knows that it is not easy to extract masterpieces from such world-famous collections and that it is moreover costly. The fact that 030
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Het Noordbrabants Museum has managed to obtain 18 of Bosch’s paintings and 19 drawings, without being able to offer a loan of the same calibre in return, is no mean feat. How did Het Noordbrabants Museum manage this? “We came up with the idea of setting up a thorough systematic study of the works as a means of convincing museums to lend us their pieces,” says de Mooij. “By studying all of Bosch’s works together and comparing them to each other, we were able to reveal results that cannot be uncovered when an institute takes on just one piece. Simply put, we used knowledge as a means of exchange.” Project team The Bosch Research and Conservation Project (BRCP) was established to study the work of Bosch, carry out the necessary restorations and prepare the exhibition. The aim was to conduct a close study of as many Bosch works as possible, using the most recent research techniques. The team, led by art historians Matthijs Ilsink and Jos Koldeweij, embarked on its mission in 2010. “There have been major advances in the domain of technical art historical research, which is great. The expert eye is still important, but it is not longer the only available tool,” says Ilsink. That is why the BRCP team is made up not just of art historians, but also has a technical art
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Hieronymus Bosch, Christ Carrying the Cross – Christ Child, c. 1490–1510
Vienna, Kunsthistorisches Museum, Gemäldegalerie.
historian, a restorer, a photographer and a computer scientist on board. They were also regularly supported by national and international experts and the curators at the foreign museums. Bosch’s oeuvre consists of around 45 paintings and drawings, spread across collections in ten different countries. As there are relatively few pieces, the research team was able to study the vast majority of these works on location. To Ilsink, this was an inspiring experience: “It is fascinating to encounter so many different cultures in Europe, to all be discussing the same thing and yet have such different perspectives on it.” Visiting all works on location was a time-consuming task that required a lot of organization. “Museums are not used to entire teams turning up with their own equipment. This made it difficult to make all the necessary arrangements in some cases,” says Ilsink. “But our research project was always well received and the museums were generally very hospitable and generous,” Koldeweij adds.
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Triptych Some of Bosch’s most famous triptychs belong to the collection of Madrid’s Museo del Prado. That is why the research team spent a lot of time in Spain and worked closely with the Prado’s curator, Pilar Silva. Unfortunately, not all the triptychs are featured in the exhibition in Den Bosch as the Prado could not send them all out on loan at once. This means that you still have to go to Madrid to view the The Garden of Earthly Delights, a fascinating piece that is very large and therefore also fragile. However, the Haywain Triptych did travel back to its birthplace. Since it became part of the Spanish collection in the 16th century, the work has only been back in the Lowlands once during an exhibition in Bruges in 1907. Of the three works by Bosch that were in Venice, some were in a poor state. Two were in urgent need of restoration. The BRCP worked with the Getty Foundation to facilitate the restoration of the works on
location. Returned to their full splendour, they are now on display for the first time since they were restored. Looking through the paint The BRCP team photographed all the works in the project in ultrahigh resolution. This allowed them to zoom in so close that they could identify more details than one would ever be able to discern with the naked eye. Furthermore, images captured with infrared and X-ray technology allowed researchers to look through the layers of paint to study the underdrawing, the preparatory sketch that lies at the base of the works. Team member Robert G. Erdmann custom-designed an advanced digital infrastructure system for the project, which gives members of the public easy access to all the project documentation (boschproject.org). In several cases, they discovered that the underdrawing did not correspond to the images that had been painted over it. This suggests that Bosch adjusted his ideas as he went along so that he could find the best composition. “This was a great discovery,” Koldeweij explains enthusiastically. “Bosch was breaking with tradition: he painted quickly and transparently, impulsively you could say – not in a perfectionistic or preplanned manner, which was the tradition of early Dutch painters. For example, in the The Temptation of St. Anthony, a triptych that is on display in Lisbon, we saw that adjustments in the underdrawing were changed again in the painting and that Bosch even painted something else over it in the end. Initially Anthony was depicted as a large and dominant figure on the central panel, but in the end he is shown as a small saint, who is surrounded by evil and temptations as he points to a crucifix in the background.” Questionable attributions “Research has shown that Bosch did not work on his own – we know this from the archives,” says Koldeweij. “He worked ›› vernis#10
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Hieronymus Bosch, The Haywain Triptych, 1510–16 Madrid, Museo Nacional del Prado,
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with the special collaboration of The Museo Nacional del Prado.
in a family studio where he also had students and assistants.” This was fairly customary for a successful painter in the 15th and 16th century. That is why it is sometimes difficult to detect which works were created by the master himself and which ones were so-called studio pieces. A successful painter inspired those around him, which produced talented pupils and colleagues. Works were sometimes signed, but not always. Besides, a signature does not always prove that a work is in fact made by the artist himself. In Bosch’s case, this “issue” resulted in a number of questionable attributions. But the BRCP team has been able to clarify certain questions. Bosch painted his works on oak wood panels, which was customary in the 15th century. Dendrochronological research, a method that involves counting the growth rings in wood, revealed the approximate felling date of the tree from which the panels were made. This allowed for a more precise dating of several works. As a result, the BRCP team identified a number of paintings that could not have been made by Bosch because the panels were dated after the artist’s death. These works were obviously made by followers. Another way of resolving issues of attribution is comparison. Using the ultrahigh-resolution photos, small details were blown up to a huge scale so that the BRCP team could for example put ten noses or ears next to each other and compare the style of painting. The underdrawings of the works were also studied and compared. Using this comparative research method in combination with technical proof about painting styles, the BRCP concluded that there was insufficient evidence to attribute Christ Carrying the Cross, a painting in the collection of the Museum of Fine Arts in Ghent, to Bosch. “The underdrawing didn’t have the rough stroke that is so characteristic of Bosch. The figures’ ears also had a very different shape,” Ilsink comments. But new work was also added to Bosch’s oeuvre. A private collector presented a ›› vernis#10
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Jacques Le Bourc, Portrait of Hieronymus Bosch, around 1550, Arras, Bibliothèque Municipale.
drawing of an infernal landscape which he had bought at an auction in 2003. At the time it had been assumed to be the work of a copyist or a student, who made the drawing after a work by Bosch. But BRCP research revealed that it is an original Bosch and the drawing has been given a prominent place in the exhibition. There was also good news for the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art in Kansas City, which had a small panel of The Temptation of St. Anthony in storage. The piece had always been attributed to a follower, but thorough inspection of the work, particularly the underdrawing, has revealed that it is an original Bosch.
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Noordbrabants Museum The exhibition Hieronymus Bosch – Visions of a genius in Het Noordbrabants Museum in Den Bosch runs until 8 May, and is open every day from 9:00 to 19:00. Tickets can be booked through the museum website. Bosch enthusiasts will also enjoy the documentary Hieronymus Bosch – Touched by the devil by Pieter van Huystee.
JOEP JACOBS
The seven deadly sins Discussing attributions is obviously a sensitive issue that has to be approached with caution. A change in attribution has far-reaching consequences for a museum, especially when it concerns artists as famous as Bosch. Specialists still disagree on the authenticity of a number of works: the famous table top painting The Seven Deadly Sins and the Four Last Things at the Prado (owned by the Patrimonio Nacional) is a case in point. The BRCP questions the attribution and suspects that it was instead produced by a student or a follower. But the Prado, which is organizing an exhibition about El Bosco – as Bosch is known in Spain – is not satisfied with the results of the research and still considers the piece to be authentic. Less than two weeks before the opening of the exhibition, the Prado cancelled the promised loan of two works, The Temptation of St. Anthony and The Extracting of the Stone of Madness. After more than five years of intensive research, Koldeweij and Ilsink continue to be fascinated by Bosch, now more than ever. “His endless creativity, his ability to invent new creatures and moreover depict them so that they looked completely natural never ceases to amaze.” Bosch has always been a highly esteemed artist whose work has been studied extensively, but the exhibition offers a new perspective thanks
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to the recent research project and the many recent restorations (nine works were restored especially for the exhibition). The results of the BRCP are featured in the exhibition and the accompanying publication, but also on a dedicated website. “We believe that our research can give great impetus to new research, especially because
the research material is easily accessible. We want to share it broadly,” says Ilsink. For Koldeweij, research is never “finished”. It is the first time that such a large part of Bosch’s work has been brought together in the city where it was created. Through reconstructions and visualizations, visitors can get to know more about the outcomes of the study, in a unique and educational manner. The exhibition also offers visitors a chance to have a good look and enjoy the the original paintings and drawings at their best, because Bosch’s creations are difficult to describe in writing. Those who try, never do justice to the artist. Viewing Bosch’s work is an almost visceral experience. The only way to fully appreciate it is to go and see his weird and wonderful creations in person.
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Jettie Rozemond IM AGES
Het Noordbrabants Museum
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A N T I Q U A I R S Dutch Delftware by Master Potters www.aronson.com
Delft faience (1690-1730) from our collection for TEFAF Maastricht
MY FAVOURITE PIECE
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MY FAVOURITE PIECE
M Y FAVOU R I T E PI ECE
LOVE AT SECOND SIGHT his rug was in my parents’ house for years. For as long as I can remember, it was in the study; it was just part of our home. When my parents decided to get rid of it around 2010, they mentioned that I should take it, but at the time I wasn’t interested. A few years later, my wife and I were looking for NAME a carpet for our living room. We were R A MSES A ND SIMONE hesitating between a modern carpet or VA N HÖV ELL TOT something more classic. We spent a long W ESTER FLIER time searching and comparing different OBJECT styles, but we didn’t find what we were HER IZ RUG FROM A ROUND 1900 looking for.” (2.70 x 3.70 M) “One day we received a phone call from SPECIAL the dealer who had taken my parents’ rug; THE RUG WA S it was the same place where they had bought INDIR ECTLY PA SSED it in the early 1990s. My parents had told DOW N FROM R A MSES’ him that we were looking for a carpet and PA R ENTS’ HOME he was convinced that we wouldn’t find anything better than the Heriz rug I had grown up with. By then we had already seen many carpets in different styles and my wife and I decided to drive over to this dealer in Zaltbommel. Despite the fact that just a few years earlier I really couldn’t picture the rug in my home, he managed to convince me both of the unique character of this rug and that it simply belonged in our family. In a way it was love at second sight.” ›› spring 2016
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MY FAVOURITE PIECE
“We first put it in our old house, in the living room. I had to get used to it because it reminded me so much of my parents’ home. We recently moved out of town and we have found the perfect place for the rug in our bedroom; it really seems to belong there. The central medallion, the geometric patterns and the red-white-and-blue colour combination are also perfectly suited to our interior. And of course the fact that it was part of my parents’ home for years makes it extra special.” “The rug is not really part of a collection. I occasionally buy art, but I don’t collect a particular artist, style or school. We are always quite focused in our acquisitions: a portrait, something abstract, Delftware or an object. Our only condition is 038
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‘I can’t yet detect a particular theme in our collection, but I hope that over the years it will become an eclectic whole’
that we both have to like it. I can’t yet detect a particular theme in our collection, but I hope that over the years it will become an eclectic whole. And yes, my parents’ rug will definitely be part of that.”
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Mischa van de Woestijne IM AGES
Friso Keuris
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The watchmaker advertises its famous Reverso models with the phrase “More than 85 years of modernity”. The design by René-Alfred Chauvot that was introduced in 1931 is still in vogue. Thanks to its clever reversible mechanism, the watch has from the very beginning been associated with polo. After nearly a century, Jaeger-LeCoultre has still not run out of innovations. In my view, a considerable number of models in the extensive collection have great auction potential. Take the Reverso Grande Complication à Triptyque, of which just 75 platinum pieces were made and which was sold Don’t put your excess liquidity into a savings for 450,000 Swiss francs: the account; spend it on a timeless time piece: design is a little more robust Yvo van Regteren Altena advises people than the already powerful Extra Grande Taille, but the Triptyque with cash to concentrate on watches of features an impressive 18 comgood repute. plications, including a perpetual calendar and a tourbillon. The ow that the interest watch is protected by six patents. For ordinary rate has practically hit mortals or regular collectors this model falls into rock bottom and the the category of Rolex and Patek et al, but you can results of the world’s of course also cultivate your own vintage watch by leading economies buying a new model today and keeping it forever. have become unpre- Those who want to stick with the Reverso, will dictable, there are soon have a great opportunity as Jaeger-LeCoulmore and more alter- tre recently let the fashionable shoe designer Lounative ways to prevent surplus liquidity. Thus one boutin apply himself to their icon and it looks like can invest in a limited edition watch with an illus- this Jaeger is also set to become part of the auction trious past. Such a piece becomes part of one’s catalogues of the future. daily wardrobe and, besides its potential financial dividend, in any case has an emotional dividend. Some models of Patek Philippe, possibly the most sought-after watch brand, have been auctioned off for millions in recent years, while certain Rolex models fetched hundreds of thousands of euros. Slightly less wealthy buyers can also make fine discoveries at auctions though. I personally T E X T love vintage Longines, Omega and Universal Yvo van Regteren Altena chronographs, as well as the many Reverso editi- I L L U S T R A T I O N ons of Jaeger-LeCoultre also remain alluring. Tekenteam.nl
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TEFAF REPORTAGE
Mentioning money is ‘not done’ at the art and antiques fair TEFAF. But when Ivo Weyel takes a stroll around the stands and has a chat among the private jets at Maastricht Aachen Airport, he finds out that this discretion conceals a flourishing art market.
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REPORTAGE TEFAF 01 ( previous page ) Private jets come and go.
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Building up stands is hard work.
It’s faster by bike.
Figuring out the floor plan.
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alking about money is not done. It is impolite. But writing about it is all right. So while prices are not openly mentioned anywhere at TEFAF and POA price tags (price on application) far outnumber those showing plain figures, the same fair publishes a detailed 230-page report on the international art market and its value in hard currency. That is commendable, because however improper it is to translate the beauty of art and antiques into filthy 42
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lucre, let’s be honest: hard cash plays a role. Without it, the Chagall, the Breughel, that rose-gold retro Cartier bracelet, that 17thcentury Flemish cupboard with tortoises-
hell inlay or that Lucio Fontana (three slashes in a white canvas) will remain out of reach. The figures in the report are staggering. Many a country can only dream of spring 2016
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Vacuuming before the fair opens.
Reverse parking at the airport.
TEFAF’s Courtesy Car is stand-by.
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having a national income of this calibre. In 2014, the international art market had a turnover of € 51 billion, a 7% increase compared to 2013. The United States was spring 2016
In 2014, there were 180 international art fairs, of which TEFAF was considered the most important
the biggest player (39%), followed by China and England/the UK in joint second place with 22% each. The Netherlands can do with a little push: in 2014, our share in the European market stood at 1.1%. In that same year, there were 180 international art fairs, of which TEFAF was considered the most important. Empress Sisi They do not make a secret of this fact over at TEFAF. Only the best is good enough: from the 140,000 specially selected flowers (which are refreshed in the middle of the night during fair days – a wilted leaf might damage the event’s prestige) to the 1,800 bottles of Bollinger champagne ›› vernis#10
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Five men inspect a small statue.
Antique sculpture with a dust cover against paint splashes.
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that are downed on the opening night by the 10,000 invitees, together with the 150,000 canapés and 2,000 oysters. On the day before the opening, we take a look behind the scenes to see what it takes to set up such a prestigious fair. It turns out to be quite fun. We see the ubersmart fair director racing through the long corridors on his bike, while the owner of Maison van den Boer, the catering company that provides all the culinary delights during the fair, prefers a scooter. (He says that every year TEFAF is by far the largest job for his company and he mobilizes around 400 staff members for the occasion.) We see Archduke Géza von Habsburg-Lotharingen dressed in a Tyrolean jacket inspecting 44
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Fairs like TEFAF are important to the art and antiques sector, many dealers earn the best part of their annual income here
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a brooch that once belonged to his greatgrandmother (Empress Sisi). As one of the fair’s vetters, he is assessing its value, authenticity and origin. We see carpenters spring 2016
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This is what it’s really all about in the art world.
A Jan Sluijters on its side.
One flower at a time to make a sea of flowers.
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yellow diamond in this case, about 60 carats, with an expected sales value of several million euros) can easily slip into a pocket. Such sums are no exception in this market segment. The TEFAF Art Market Report 2015 states that works of art with a price tag of € 1 million or more make up 48% of the total market. On the art market as a whole, they represent no more than 0.5%, which suggests that you end up paying more at auctions.
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gazing at the black-and-white stripes on a Roy Lichtenstein painting and wondering why this is considered art; and we are briskly pushed aside by scary broad-shouldespring 2016
red security personnel after we unwittingly saunter in at the British jeweller Graff just as the display cases are being arranged. Not surprising really. A diamond ring (a
Don’t drink and fly Fairs like TEFAF are of great importance for the art and antiques sector. Many dealers earn the best part of their annual income here, largely because anyone who is interested in the subject matter (and, more importantly, willing to pull out his wallet) flocks here to have a drink and a bite, exchange the occasional air-kiss, and finally buy that much-coveted anthropomorphic pipe of the Yaka tribe, that Louis XVI rosewood bureau plat or that pair of porcelain Meissen swans that once graced the mantelpiece of Baroness Renée de Becker. Or that lovely little fan-shaped silver- ›› vernis#10
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Lining up tiny perfume bottles.
A proud painter.
Handle with care.
Is it art? Or is it a painter’s table?
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and-enamel clock by Carl Fabergé that I fell in love with during my tour. The question is: am I willing to take out a second mortgage for it? Those who do have their credit cards at the ready do not arrive by bus. They fly in, as one does, and not on a scheduled flight, but in their private jet. Nowhere in the world will you find as many private jets in one place as during TEFAF. It is quite a handful for modest little Maastricht Aachen Airport. We walk around the airport with director Sander Heijmans, who sports a light-reflecting pink vest so that landing sheikhs and oligarchs notice him on the tarmac. The Graff Diamonds jet (it is written in enormous letters on the side of the plane, as if it were a delivery van) is already parked, alongside that of an unnamed prince (“for security reasons, you understand,” says Heijmans). The canteen (Coffee with Limburger pie: € 3) is full of flight personnel, waiting for their boss while he strolls around the fair. “It usually doesn’t take more than a couple of hours,” says one pilot who has come from Hong Kong (“I can’t say more”) in a roundabout 46
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way. “And then we fly back.” Others are off to a hotel, as their employer is staying overnight. “No, we’re not staying in the same hotel, I wish we were.” A new team
arrives, but the canteen is full. The small restaurant is not designed to accommodate the crew of more than 400 private jets. Instead, they stand at the bar as they ›› spring 2016
Girl with the Gold Rattle by Marie Cecile Thijs, 2016 Gold Rattle made in Amsterdam ca 1740 Exhibited at Stand 240
Jan van Nassaustraat 76 | 2596 BV The Hague | +31 (0)70 324 09 87 silver @aardewerk.com | www.aardewerk.com
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No one is allowed into the stand during the vetting.
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have a hamburger and wash it down with a coke. Of course alcohol is off limits: don’t drink and fly. Between art and kitsch The airport is not the only place doing overtime. For the rest of Maastricht too, it is the busiest week of the year. Hairdressers work overtime to style everyone’s hair, all the hotels are fully booked, restaurants have waiting lists and gallery owners are hosting dinners and receptions in private venues for the clientele that is eager to spend money. But despite all its grandeur and unlike other important art and antique fairs where the presence of celebrities forms an important publicity element, 48
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TEFAF remains a low-key affair. No personalities, film stars, top models, or insipid celebs who draw all the attention to the red carpet. On the contrary, here one tries to sneak in as discreetly as possible. At TEFAF, the focus lies on the 30,000 objects on display. And while a handful of vetters have appeared on the television programme Tussen Kunst & Kitsch (Dutch equivalent of the BBC’s Antiques Roadshow, ed.), you won’t find any trouvailles here. Everything has been carefully scrutinized and assessed and there is no way that a dusty old painting will turn out to be an early Mondriaan. Some dealers have had lucky breaks like that though: the London-based antique dealer Wartski (not only established
in 1865, as it proudly proclaims, but also with several royal appointments) discovered a most charming little golden egg on legs containing a foldable ladies watch, which had recently been sold for $14,000. A tidy sum in itself, but in fact it was a trifle: the owner should have done his homework more carefully because – you can feel it coming – it turned out to be a Fabergé egg from 1887, worth about a million. I leave the fair as I came. With empty hands. TEXT
Ivo Weyel IM AGES
Herman van Heusden
spring 2016
Kunsthandel Inez Stodel period jewellery - antiques
An 18 carat gold witch heart shaped brooch set with 30 drop cut peridots with a garland of 31 brilliant cut amethysts and 12 brilliant cut diamonds set in platinum, signed and numbered: Cartier, 20926, designed and made by Ernest Punter, USA, circa 1970. weight: 34.7 grams dimensions: 6.7 x 5.5 cm.
N i eu w e S p i eg el s t ra a t 65 1017 DD
P hone :
+ 31 ( 0 ) 20 6232942
Fax:
+ 31 (0) 20 6248982
Leonore:
+ 31 (0) 2 1 8 7 8 0 7 1
A m s t erd am T h e Ne the r la nds
E -m a il:
info@ i nezst odel . com
Int ernet :
w w w. i nezst odel . com
Inez:
+ 31 (0) 2 1 8 7 8 0 7 3
facebook: kunsthandelinezstodel
instagram: inezstodel_jewelry
twitter: inezstodel
Engraved panorama of Antwerp (43 x 219 cm), published after 1652
Inter-Antiquariaat Mefferdt & De Jonge antique maps and town views Bernard Zweerskade 18, 1077 TZ Amsterdam, T: 020-6640841 www.inter-antiquariaat.nl interantiquariaat@chello.nl
ARCHITECTURE VILLA HENNY
Villa Henny is a style icon of 20th-century Dutch architecture: 100 years after it was built the concrete design is still solid as a rock. As soon as the current owners saw the ‘For Sale’ sign in the garden in 1979, they were sold, and so was the house.
HOUSE OF CONCRETE he development of new architectural styles and building materials brought about radical changes in early 20th-century Dutch architecture. The detached villa by Robert van ’t Hoff in the village of Huis ter Heide in the province of Utrecht is an outstanding example and a landmark of modern architecture. With its geometrical design, its white-plastered concrete, grey plinths and cantilevered flat roof, the house ››
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ARCHITECTURE VILLA HENNY 01 ( previous page ) With its grey plinths, the whitewashed concrete house has a geometric design.
attracted attention already while it was being built in 1915. Van ’t Hoff designed the house, also known as the concrete villa, for the Amsterdam businessman A.B. Henny in 1914. It was the first time that a concrete frame construction was used in a residential building. “It was very revolutionary at the time. There was little experience of working with this technique, which is why the first frame actually collapsed,” says Rob Driessen, an expert and surveyor in the field of applied art and design in the period after 1900. Frank Lloyd Wright Van ’t Hoff’s design for Villa Henny – with its overlapping rectangular building volumes and repetitive patterns – was inspired by the Prairie Houses of Frank Lloyd Wright, the famous American architect
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who also influenced architects like Berlage. Around 1910, the Dutch architecture scene was dazzled by Wright’s modern country houses, with their lightly sloping cantilevered roofs and geometric proportions that accentuated the building’s horizontality through an uninterrupted interplay of lines. In 1914, Van ’t Hoff travelled through the United States to visit Wright’s work and meet the American architect in person. Wright had a strong influence on the young Dutchman. In Villa Henny, Van ‘t Hoff combined Wright’s style with revolutionary construction techniques. Unlike Wright, who preferred natural locally sourced materials, he used concrete. This
distinguishes Villa Henny as an original design that is certainly not a copy. The concrete house is quite unique and hard to classify in the history of modern
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‘Van ’t Hoff’s design for Villa Henny was inspired by Frank Lloyd Wright’s Prairie Houses’
architecture. Henny is often associated with De Stijl but the house was already under construction when the group was founded in 1917 by the artist Theo van Doesburg. “It would be easy to mistake it for a design that emanated from De Stijl, because Van ‘t Hoff was a member of this group from 1917 to 1919,” says Driessen. “Van ’t Hoff was initially attracted to De Stijl because of its ideal of achieving a synthesis of the arts: the idea that all art forms should meld into a new all-encompassing aesthetic. But Van ’t Hoff wanted equality in art as well as in society. During the construction of Villa Henny, he was up on the scaffolds with the builders and the contractor. He didn’t want any masters and spring 2016
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The symmetrical interplay of lines is carried forward in the ceiling.
The current inhabitants, the Jap-A-Joe family, bought the house in 1979.
On all sides, Villa Henny has view of the garden.
The architect Van ’t Hoff also designed the fire-guard for this house.
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SYMMETRY
Villa Henny The house has an almost entirely symmetrical floorplan in which the main axis of the ground floor lies perpendi-
cular to that of the first floor. Just as in Wright’s designs, the fireplace is centrally positioned and the remaining spaces are laid out around the central
staircase. With its flat railing that accentuates the rectangular contours, the staircase is also strongly reminiscent of Wright.
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servants anymore. De Stijl didn’t have such a pronounced political agenda and that is why Van ’t Hoff eventually distanced himself from the movement.” Villa Henny is cubism rather than mospring 2016
dernism. “The basic form is still largely symmetrical and massive,” says Driessen. “The form and layout of the plan reveal a clear affinity with Wright and his so-called prairie style. The house that Rietveld built
less than ten years later for Truus Schröder is infinitely more radical: it is more open and free. But Van ’t Hoff’s design undoubtedly made a great impression on Rietveld and the other members of De Stijl. ›› vernis#10
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previous page ) Originally there was a pond where the swimming pool is now located.
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Just as in Frank Lloyd Wright designs, the fireplace is centrally positioned.
The garage, also designed bij Van ’t Hoff.
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It was an important step in the development of what was later to be called the Nieuwe Bouwen movement. Evergreen The current inhabitants, the Jap-A-Joe family, have by now grown used to the visits from students, teachers and researchers from the Netherlands and abroad who want to view the house. When they saw the villa up for sale in 1979, they had no idea who the architect was. “You don’t realize that you’re going to be living in a famous design beforehand,” says Kenneth Jap-AJoe. “When we were looking for a place in this area, this house immediately caught our attention because of its general feel. 056
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The atmosphere is not Dutch, but rather American and tropical. I was sold even before I stepped inside. It’s an evergreen and, what’s more, a wonderful house to live in. It’s spacious yet intimate. My favourite
space is the veranda; you feel like you’re outside.” Inside, the house is practically in its original state, except for a few alterations that the previous owner asked Rietveld to introduce – and which are said to have infuriated Van ’t Hoff. The original fire-guard and the grating in the drinks cabinet beside it – both with the same pattern – have also been preserved. Van ’t Hoff designed them especially for this house in which the fireplace lies at the centre of the floorplan. Jap-AJoe: “Originally there was a pond in the garden, but the previous owners replaced it with a swimming pool made of white concrete with strong grey lines, so that it is in keeping with the style of the house.” spring 2016
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The staircase with its flat railing accentuates the rectangular contours.
The east and west façade feature a series of eight colonnaded windows that are slightly projected beyond the first floor.
writings, he explained why he never designed anything after his early work: “The time was not yet ripe for a new society without property.” Social equality The promising and talented Van ’t Hoff moved to the United Kingdom with his family in 1922 where he settled for good in 1937. Here he continued to encourage social equality, though no longer through architecture. Van ’t Hoff had lived in the UK before, when he trained as an architect. During his studies he had already shown an interest in the social significance of architecture and alternative social forms of living. He designed two buildings during this period that were built in the Netherlands between 1911 and 1913: the model farm De Zaaier and Villa Løvdalla
The name Van ’t Hoff definitely belongs in the list with Hendrik Berlage, Willem Dudok, Gerrit Rietveld and other iconic 20th-century Dutch architects. But Van ’t Hoff has gone down in history as an illustrious and mysterious figure: driven and socially engaged, but also disillusioned. He designed just a few houses, of which Villa Henny is the most important example: it is featured in almost all reference works. There is no photo of the architect himself, which is somehow what one might expect of him. After ending his architectural career prematurely, he sank into obscurity. The young communist was unable to make concessions and was therefore never able to apply his ideals in the real spring 2016
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world. He signed the letter that he wrote to Van Doesburg in 1927 on the occasion of the ten-year anniversary of the magazine De Stijl with the title “ex-architect”. In his
in Huis ter Heide for his parents. Shortly after World War II, Van ’t Hoff briefly returned to architecture, mainly because of the idealistic nature of the assignment. He designed a commune in Conventry, an industrial town in the Midlands that had been heavily bombed. It was to be his last design.
‘In his writings, the “ex-architect” explained why he never designed anything after his early work’
TEXT
Aya Langeveld IM AGES
Friso Keuris
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DI A R Y 2016
Dutch museums are pulling out all the stops to seduce art lovers this year, but the members of the Koninklijke VHOK are also organizing and participating in numerous interesting events.
Heliogravure Sir Lawrence AlmaTadema - InterAntiquariaat Mefferdt & De Jonge.
LORAINE BODEWES
DIARY LEEU WA RDEN
Engravings Sir Lawrence AlmaTadema, exhibition in the Fries Museum and sales exhibition at Inter-Antiquariaat
Mefferdt & De Jonge.
1 October 2016-7 February 2017, friesmuseum.nl inter-antiquariaat.nl
At the Vanderven Oriental Art stand.
M A ASTRICHT / NEW YORK
TEFAF 2016
TEFAF Maastricht is universally regarded as the world’s leading art fair, setting the standard for excellence in the art market. The fair is truly a must for collectors and museum representatives. TEFAF New York Fall is one of two new fairs.
11-20 March Maastricht Exhibition & Congress Centre (MECC) tefaf.com
22-27 October Park Avenue Armory, New York tefaf.com
Pierre Sterlé ring Kunsthandel Inez Stodel.
AMSTERDAM
PAN Amsterdam For more than 25 years, PAN Amsterdam has been the leading national fair for art, antiques and design. PAN Amsterdam attracts more than 40,000 art lovers a year, from novices to the most experienced collectors.
20-27 November, RAI Amsterdam pan.nl 058
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DEN BOSCH
Ming Porcelain & Works of Art Chinese objects and porcelain, Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) at Vanderven Oriental Art.
28 March-6 May vanderven.com
Canopic chest with lid, wood with extensive polychrome painting and hieroglyphs Archea Ancient Art.
OSS
Chinese Porcelain Master class Ming and Ching dynasty at Bastings Antiquairs
Pair of silver candelabra - Jacob J. Roosjen SRI®.
AMSTERDAM
Spring exhibitions
Starts: 3 October (four afternoons). Registration via: bastings@ bastingsantiquairs.com
From 21-22 May, various antique dealers and galleries in Amsterdam’s Spiegelkwartier are organizing exhibitions, including one featuring André de la Porte’s collection at Frides Laméris Kunst- en Antiekhandel (21-28 May).
AMSTERDAM
spiegelkwartier.nl archea.nl frideslameris.nl
Open! Exhibitions and lectures at more than 30 antique dealers and galleries in the Spiegelkwartier.
24-25 September spiegelkwartier.nl A M ST ELV EEN
ART Breda ART BREDA is the inspiring national Spring fair for antiques, fine art and contemporary art.
10-17 April, artbreda.nl
spring 2016
Antiquarian Book, Map & Print Fair
Gestolde Dromen VII (Solidified Dreams VII). Exhibition at Kunstconsult – 20th century art | objects.
De Nederlandsche Vereeniging van Antiquaren (NVvA) is the organizer of the 36th edition of this fair, where an international group of dealers display the most beautiful and rare antiquarian books, maps and prints. The fair features a wide range of medieval manuscripts to bibliophily, books about photography, avant-garde, architecture and modern art.
27 August-4 September kunstconsult.nl
1-2 October, Marriott Hotel Amsterdam nvva.nl
Glass Art BREDA
AMSTERDAM
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’S-HERTOGENBOSCH Also known as Den Bosch or Hertogstad, ’s-Hertogenbosch was established in the late 12th century. The city not only has a rich military and economic history; it also has a lot to offer in the field of art and culture. From the 13th century onwards, the city was home to the Latin School of Art and Sciences and there were numerous monasteries, churches and associations that encouraged the development of art and culture. The painter Hieronymus Bosch was for example a member of the Confraternity of the Illustrious Lady in the late 15th century. This religious brotherhood is still located in the Zwanenbroedershuis in the town’s medieval centre. The museum here is well worth a visit, but it is certainly not the only reason to visit ’s-Hertogenbosch.
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Mischa van de Woestijne
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HISTORY
ART
BINNENDIEZE
VIEWING ART
This famous underground waterway was created over the centuries, as people started building over existing waterways due to a lack of space. The Binnendieze once covered a distance of 12 kilometres and served as a waterway, waste disposal channel and sewer. Today about a third of the original channel has been restored, half of which is covered and can be explored by tour boat.
’s-Hertogenbosch’s cultural wealth is not only historic; it also extends into the present. Located in the Museum Quarter, the impressive Stedelijk Museum features contemporary visual art, design, ceramics and jewellery. The current exhibition ‘The Fish Pond Song’, which runs until 8 May, shows how Hieronymus Bosch continues to influence contemporary art. The ‘real’ exhibition about this artist is of course ‘Hieronymus Bosch Visions of genius’ in the Noordbrabants Museum (see p. 28).
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ARCHITECTURE
ART
DINING
SINT-JANSTOREN
BUYING ART
CULINARY STARS
While the Binnendieze marks the lowest point in town, the 73-metre Sint-Janstoren is a highlight of Brabant Gothic style and perfect for discovering the city from above. As you climb the medieval stairs, there are exhibitions and objects on display on each of the six floors, including the clockwork and dozens of functioning clocks.
For those wishing to not just look at art but also buy some Vanderven Oriental Art, located at Nachtegaalslaantje 1, is an excellent option if you are looking for Chinese porcelain, Han and Tang pottery, Chinese and Japanese works of art and colonial furniture. For those wishing to expand their collection with more modern pieces, Majke Hüsstege projects at Verwersstraat 28 is an interesting address. Besides the gallery, visitors can
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visit the concept store, which features a fine combination of art, fashion and design.
Just as with the Binnendieze and the Sint-Janstoren, here again two extremes: the Michelin-starred Sense Restaurant lies in the Verwersstraat across from The Noordbrabants Museum. Early bookers can choose from a range of small culinary dishes and an accompa-
nying selection of wines upon request. Less subtle and not blessed with a Michelin star, the original Bossche Bol can be purchased at Banketbakkerij Jan de Groot (Stationsweg 24, but also available at many other addresses in town). The large cream-filled profiterole,
which is glazed or coated in melted chocolate, is guaranteed to contain enough calories to get you through the day in ’s-Hertogenbosch.
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COLUMN
rooms, for example, an idea that serves as the backbone for our new East Galleries. The intimacy and less predictable combinations of private collections can inspire powerful museum display. Even with this approach, museums have to keep in mind that they are public places for today’s society and he artworks in the Wallace not a private collection. This Collection all come from the awareness leads to high-qualsame exceptional source, the ity visitor information and private collection of five programming as much as to generations of the Seymourcertain differences in display Conway family, four Marprinciples. The East GallerChristoph Martin Vogtherr, the former quesses of Hertford and ies at the Wallace Collection Richard Wallace, the illegitican be appreciated as collecdirector of the Wallace Collection in mate son of the 4th Martor’s interiors, but on closer London, claims that museums should quess. Since 1897, when the inspection one finds out that show artworks in a way their original collection was given to the the Boulle furniture is arowners would have understood British state, it has stayed toranged chronologically and and appreciated them. gether. The terms of the bethe Dutch paintings by subquest prohibit adding to it as ject to invite an analytical much as de-accessioning. A and active engagement with museum like this necessarily presents a combined and displayed by leading private the collection beyond the marvel. Private personal choice of objects – French art collectors. This way we can show a mix of collections and museums are not at all the from Louis XIV to the Commune and very different objects and materials in the same – but they can inspire each other’s European princely arms and armour are same galleries. Paintings, sculptures, fur- practice. represented in great depth and exquisite niture, gilt-bronze works, porcelain etc. quality, other areas are hardly covered. form part of the same display increasing The Wallace Collection still expresses the the possibilities of discovery and comparitastes of its founding collectors. son for our visitors. As it exists today, the museum no longer Many of the more systematic and encyreflects our own vision of art history but clopaedic collections struggle to evoke the one period in collecting that is increasing- original context of their artworks. At the ly remote from us, a distinctly nine- Wallace, we show many of them in a way teenth-century taste. What might sound their original owners would have underlike a negative assessment is more than stood and appreciated. We can also evoke balanced by our ability to use conventions how certain works that we today do not asof private collecting that are less familiar to sociate any longer have been close neighthe public but deeply enjoyed by our visi- bours for long periods in history. Almost T E X T tors. More than our bigger sister institu- any great eighteenth-century collector Christoph Martin Vogtherr tions, we take inspirations from the way would have combined Boulle furniture I L L U S T R A T I O N artworks have always been inventively and Netherlandish paintings in the same Tekenteam.nl
ART IN A COLLECTION, ART IN A MUSEUM
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RIJKSMUSEUM STORAGE FACILITY
Most of the collection of the Rijksmuseum is safely stored away in the temporary external storage facility Eurokluis. The vaults in Lelystad are filled with all sorts of things that you will not find Amsterdam. More precisely, they are filled with a lot of things: more than 300,000 objects in all. Exceptionally, the Rijksmuseum opened the vault doors for Vernis.
INSIDE THE VAULT OF THE RIJKSMUSEUM 01
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STORAGE FACILITY RIJKSMUSEUM 01 ( previous page ) The paintings are “parked Amsterdam style”; their place in the
rack is determined by free space, not by period or artist.
he Rijksmuseum owns more than one million objects, of which ‘only’ 8,000 are on display. The remainder is on loan or in storage. The desolate industrial estate in Lelystad that houses the external storage
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facility is pretty depressing, as is the sight of the enormous warehouse. But once you step inside it is an endless delight: you can spend days looking around here without seeing everything. That would be impossible as there are more than 300,000 objects in storage here. Temporary accommodation The euro signs on the façade indicate the building’s original purpose. Between 1999 and 2002, billions of euro coins were stored here before the introduction of the new currency. In 2003 part of the warehouse was converted into a temporary storage facility to accommodate the Rijks066
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museum collection that had to be relocated ahead of extensive and lengthy renovation works. The safe had just been partly vacated after the brand-new euro coins had been put into circulation. Part of the building is still used by the Royal Dutch Mint which is located in the large concrete hall that leads to the storage facility. Today, especially for Vernis, head of management and conservation Wim Hoeben is opening up the approximately 4,500 m2 space that is secured by a set of double doors. Broad paths run through the space. “All objects have to be accessible. Theoretically we would be able to make do with a much smaller surface area.” But the
‘Times passes, even in a timeless storage facility’
place is nevertheless packed – with furniture, paintings, silverware, weapons, Asian porcelain, carpets and all sorts of other things, including the 340-kg rear light of a VOC [United East India Company, ed.] ship. Reflecting the spirit of the Golden Age, the hardwood colossus that towers over the collection represents an essential part of the country’s history. Museological value Besides masterpieces, the space is also used to store objects of historical value – objects that deserve an inventory number because of the story they tell. As soon as you walk in, you cannot help but notice an official portrait of Queen Wilhelmina. Several metres high, the damaged canvas stands at the head of an aisle filled with racks of paintings. What is it doing in the storage facility of a museum that is world famous for its masterpieces? The painting, which was once displayed in the Commissioner’s office in Jakarta, was damaged during riots in Indonesia in 1960 and will not be restored anymore. It has therefore ceased to be a painting, but will nevertheless remain in spring 2016
RIJKSMUSEUM STORAGE FACILITY 02
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The boxes with fragile textiles are stored on the upper level.
Copy after Titian, The Penitent Magdalena.
Every space is filled up: Madonna with child and saints, by Marcello Fogolino from the first half of the 16th century.
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the collection as a document from that period. Amsterdam parking As the move to the storage facility took place at short notice, pieces are stored randomly, without apparent logic. But that is also what makes the place so fascinating. It is the perfect place to dig for treasure, starting with the paintings, which are all mixed up. “It’s like parking in Amsterdam: as soon as you see a free space, you immediately hang it up,” Hoeben explains. And what if the computer system that controls the location registrations breaks down? “Well then you wouldn’t be spring 2016
RIJKSMUSEUM
Several storage facilities Next to Eurokluis, the Rijksmuseum also has four in-house storage spaces, including the Print Room with more than 700,000 prints, drawings and photos, decorative papers, Oriental miniatures, artists’ autographs, sketchbooks and breviaries. As most pieces are sensitive to light and temperature, the bulk of the collection is kept in storage and only a fraction is on display in the museum as part of temporary exhibitions.
able to search on the M of Maris... But at least this way we can store everything. Twelve years ago we opened a temporary storage facility: we store the objects as carefully as possible and take them out when necessary. In terms of logistics and packing we have a lot to learn from industry; the difference is that in our case nothing can be allowed to break.” Large and unwieldy The space also contains a large amount of furniture. “If the museum wants to show how the Dutch lived in the past, it inevitably has to have a lot of furniture. We hardly have any furniture for everyday use, ›› vernis#10
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Michiel de Ruyter looks lost in the space that is reserved for furniture.
The packaging in which the portrait of Queen Beatrix was delivered by the artist Jeroen Henneman,
showing his instructions about how it should be exhibited.
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because such pieces have not been preserved. In that sense you’re always telling the story of the elite, not of the average citizen. Many pieces were donated when the new Rijksmuseum building was opened in 1885. For the first six months it was the largest building in the Netherlands and this object of national pride had to be filled. Every district had to contribute something, though some were not too keen. It is debatable whether all of these objects actually belong in the collection.” The trouble is that antique furniture is often bulky and takes up a lot of space. “These aren’t IKEA-cupboards that you can store as flat packs. Once you take them apart for a whi068
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le, you can’t put them back together because the wood starts warping.” Between all the heavy pine and oak wood, a modern, Memphis-style cupboard looks almost out
of place. It is a recent and very welcome acquisition from a bequest. “The 20th century is still underrepresented in our collection.”
‘Digitizing a collection with more than one million items is a mammoth task’
Valuable lanes On the top floor, which was added when the Rijksmuseum moved in, the objects are arranged more systematically along lanes that are closed off with wire-mesh doors. Here valuables such as Asian porcelain are thematically organized on shelves. The silverware is kept under lock and key in a large, fenced-off section. Through the steel meshing one can make out cupboards where the silver is stored in small bags to spring 2016
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Detail of the packaging material in the shipping space that lies in the hall behind the storage space.
travelling to and from exhibitions at home and abroad. “There are 2,000 movements per year here, especially in the paintings section. That’s why they are stored closest to the entrance.” Objects are prepared for transport in the building’s second storage space, where packing materials are stacked to the ceiling: cases, crates, bubble wrap, acid-free paper, cardboard – everything you might need for the safe transport of objects.
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Edges of the collection Three quarters of the collection will never end up in the museum, but is digitally accessible. Most objects can be found online with a description and an image, but digitizing a collection with more than one million items is a mammoth task and it is far from complete. Many objects still need to be labelled with a bar code or photo-
COLLECTION
The Rijksmuseum Amsterdam The Rijksmuseum Amsterdam is the largest museum for art and history in the Netherlands. The building that currently houses the Rijksmuseum was completed in 1885 after a design by
P.J.H. Cuypers. The museum was reopened to the public in 2013 after an extensive 10-year renovation. The collection gives an overview of Dutch art and history from the Middle Ages to Mondriaan. The most
protect it against oxidation. The contents of the racks in the other half of the space varies from army drums and a whole arsenal of weapons to textile, but also modern bronze sculptures of Dutch celebrities such as Labour leader Joop den Uyl and a die-casting of Ronald de Leeuw, the museum’s former director. The rolls of carpets and murals that are also stored here are marked with the letters W, L, Z, H. “Those aren’t inventory numbers, but the first letters of the seasons [in Dutch, ed.]. Every quarter, the painted canvasses are spring 2016
important sub-collections are: paintings, history, applied arts and prints and drawings. The masterpieces include works by Rembrandt, Vermeer and other famous 17th-century Dutch masters.
rotated 90 degrees. Every three months a reminder pops up in our Outlook diary. Time passes, even in a timeless storage facility.” Logistical centre The facility in Lelystad is not only a storage facility but also a logistical centre; large parts of the collection are constantly travelling and only make short stopovers here. Every day, the barriers of the high-security site are opened up for lorries that come to collect or return objects that are
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graphed. The plan is to finish the job before the move to the new storage facility, “but I’m aiming for the end of 2018,” says Hoeben, who has been working at the museum since 1985 and has practically become part of the inventory himself. “I am struggling with how to define the edges of the collection. You have to draw a line somewhere and decide what you enter into the system. For example, what do you do with the items that come with an object but that don’t actually belong to it, like a modern frame around an old master, non-original plinths or the casing for a cutlery set? We have many such items, which we cannot include in the collec- ›› vernis#10
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A chest containing a slightly radioactive little stone has been set apart.
tion or provide with an inventory number. But often we can use them for a different purpose, for example as a reference for new frames that are made ‘in the style of’. And sometimes we just reuse them.” Objects with a question mark The second hall is filled with residual categories and things for which there is no clear use, such as a number of 1950s climbing frames by the architect Aldo van Eyck. Every Dutch schoolyard and playground used to have one of these iconic objects; entire generations have grown up with them (and fallen out of them). The Rijksmuseum bought them for its gardens, but did not use them all. “These days you can only use them if you put rubber tiles underneath. The alternative was to fence them off to stop them being used, so we only placed a few; the rest is stored here.”
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High up on one of the racks stands a forgotten chest. A large sign warns that it contains radioactive material – another object with a question mark. “It contains a small stone that was probably displayed in someone’s study for two centuries as part of a collection, but it contains minimal traces of uranium. Now that it has been labelled ‘dangerous’, we don’t know where to put it.” The beautiful furniture pieces that Cuypers designed for the Rijksmuseum were moved to Lelystad during the renovation and are now awaiting a new use. Vintage collectors would kill for these pieces, but the museum has nowhere to put 070
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PL ANNING FOR 2020
New storage facility The Rijksmuseum, the Netherlands Open Air Museum, the National Museum Het Loo Palace and the Cultural Heritage Agency of the Netherlands have joined forces to build a joint sustainable storage facility to accommodate their collections. With a surface area of more than 30,000 m2, this CollectionCentrumNederland (CCN) storage facility will replace the various existing facilities that are currently scattered across different locations. This cooperation will result in lower costs, greater efficiency, knowledge sharing and optimal management and conservation of the national collections. The cooperation partners have agreed that the Rijksmuseum will be the building’s owner and will serve as the client during the construction process. The CCN is expected to be put into service in 2020.
them. The same goes for the original hinges and locks. “Officially these pieces are part of the building, so they belong to the Central Government Real Estate Agency. It’s difficult to decide what to do with them. What will people say in 100 years time if you get rid of them now? That’s something you worry about when you’re taking these kinds of decisions. Museological ideas are more changeable than the collection. Before you know it, you’re facing parliamentary questions.” Eurokluis Lelystad The external storage facility in Lelystad was rented in 2003 as a temporary facility. Originally, the plan had been to store the collection in an underground storage space behind the museum in Amsterdam during the renovation, but this proved too risky. “The storage was built in the early 1990s, but when we realised how far-reaching the renovation was to be in 2001, we
rushed to find an external location,” says Wim Hoeben, head of management and conservation. “You don’t want to store your whole collection below ground when they are hammering down sheet piling 20 metres further up. But suitable buildings are few and far between. Not only do they have to be large, accessible and secure; they also have to meet a number of strict internal requirements. For example, this building had no climate control system, but we knew it could be installed. The timing could not have been better, as part of the building became vacant in 2003.” One of the two spaces that was rented in Lelystad was fully isolated and equipped with a climate control system that made it suitable for mixed storage so that different types of objects can be stored together in one space. Leaving Amsterdam for good This means the storage facility will not be coming back to Amsterdam. “We have seen that out-of-town storage has many advantages. As there are more and more exchanges between museums and as the collections are travelling more, it is not convenient to be in the city centre nor to have several storage spaces in the museum, as was the case before the renovation. Besides, those spaces didn’t meet the modern requirements of conservation, so we anyway had to build a new storage facility. High-level collection management and logistics is becoming evermore important for museums. The image of the curator on his bike with a drawing under his arm, swerving to avoid getting hit by a tram really is a thing of the past.”
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Aya Langeveld IM AGES
Peter Boer
spring 2016
fied Appraiser Fine Arts and Antiques | Certi Certifi
HENDRICK BLOEM Bremen ca. 1619 – Amsterdam 1661 Fully marked at the base, also struck with a 1795 control mark for Enkhuizen. Amsterdam, 1658 E-mail: info@daatselaar.com | Web: www.daatselaar.com | Phone: +31 654.394.108 agent and advisor for purchasing and selling fine arts and antiques | appraisals for probate and insurance purposes
PORTRAIT EXPERTS IN THE ART TRADE
“ YOU HAVE TO TAKE OLD MASTERS IN YOUR HANDS” Art and antique dealers handle literally thousands of objects during their careers. All these objects tell a story, and allow dealers to constantly expand their knowledge base. That is why you can always turn to a dealer for advice about a sale or simply to learn more about an object. The dealers affiliated to the Koninklijke Vereeniging van Handelaren in Oude Kunst (Royal Association of Fine Art Dealers) are all specialized in a certain period, material or art from a specific geographic region. They have developed their specialization by completing a degree, or a background in art restoration or through handson experience, for example in a family business where they have received a unique training and developed an exceptionally good eye for quality. The members of the Koninklijke VHOK are always happy to share their expertise with you. TEXT
Jettie Rozemond IM AGES
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EXPERTS IN THE ART TRADE PORTRAIT
Mieke Zilverberg KUNSTHANDEL MIEKE ZILVERBERG
ieke Zilverberg is specialized in archaeological objects and ancient coins. She studied Classical Archaeology and Classics at the University of Amsterdam. Since the 1980s, Zilverberg makes regular appearances as a specialist on the popular television programme ‘Tussen Kunst & Kitsch’, the Dutch equivalent of the BBC’s ‘Antiques Roadshow’. Greek Antiquity “This small red-figured drinking vessel, with the image of an owl between two olive branches depicted on both sides, was made in Apulia, in Italy’s far south-west, in the early 4th century BC. The owl is often represented on objects from this period and this is no coincidence: the owl symbolizes Athena, the wise goddess of war strategy and peace. The owl became her symbol because it is a nocturnal animal. The Greeks beat the Persians in an important battle that took place at night. Like an owl who can see in the dark, Athena led the Greeks to victory in the night. Many coins from this period show an owl with large eyes. It is a motive that is still in use, for example on Greek euro coins. The olive branches on the vessel are another reference to Athena. Legend has it that she gave it to the city of Athens. I have had at least four vessels like this one in my collection over the years. But why is the owl shown specifically on drinking vessels? One amusing explanation is that it allowed you to absorb divine wisdom.”
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PORTRAIT EXPERTS IN THE ART TRADE
Jacob Roosjen JACOB J. ROOSJEN SRI®
acob Roosjen is a specialist in silver and a registered valuer in gold and silver objects. Roosjen is always looking for high-quality silver objects, dating from the 17th to the late 20th century. Roosjen’s strength lies in the thorough research he does on his objects. Timeless pieces of art “Candelabra exist in all shapes. They are functional and beautiful objects. Over the centuries they were made out of different materials, such as bronze and earthenware, but when they are made of silver it adds an extra sparkle to the candlelight, instantly creating a cosy atmosphere. Our theme during the art fair PAN 2015 was ‘Dining and Shining’. We showed candelabra from a range of periods and in a variety of styles. We sold two sets of candelabra to Dutch museums: a set of silver-and-enamel candleholders from 1902 designed by Jan Eisenloeffel was sold to the Drents Museum and a set of candleholders in the shape of classical columns, designed by Henricus Hubert in 1786/87 was sold to the Groninger Museum. They were very different from the Amsterdam candelabra, made by Sigusmundus Zschammer in 1663, we offer now. These candleholders form a fine example of the sober style that was briefly in vogue during the Golden Age. In other words, you can find fine silver candleholders to everyone’s taste. A table isn’t really complete without a beautiful set. What can be more special than to dine at a table that is lit by a set of 300-year-old candleholders?”
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EXPERTS IN THE ART TRADE PORTRAIT
Leonore van der Waals KUNSTHANDEL INEZ STODEL
ast year, Kunsthandel Inez Stodel celebrated its 50th anniversary. Leonore van der Waals, Inez Stodel’s daughter, has been working at the firm for 10 years. “The quest for unique jewels is what makes this profession so incredibly exciting.” Antique cut diamonds “These stunning earrings from around 1840 have a flower motif. The earrings are made of silver with 7.5 carats of open-set diamonds. There are three large so-called ‘old mine cuts’ and a pear-cut diamond in each earring. The back is covered in gold; to protect the wearer against the patina of the silver that might stain the skin. Diamond is the hardest known natural material. Back when these earrings were made, diamonds were hand cut using another diamond. A hand-cut diamond can help when dating a piece of jewellery. But how do you recognize a hand-cut diamond? Hand-cut stones usually follow the natural shape of a diamond: the octahedron (two pyramids stuck together at their bases). The aim was to limit cutting to a minimum in order to retain an as large as possible diamond. It was only at the end of the 19th century that a technique was developed to cut diamonds mechanically. Old stones have broader facets, which give the stone a warmer and softer character. They glow in candlelight. Modern machine-cut diamonds are made up of smaller facets that optimally reflect light and therefore shine more brightly. As they are hand made, handcut diamonds are never entirely symmetrical. Every stone is unique.” ›› spring 2016
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PORTRAIT EXPERTS IN THE ART TRADE
Sander Bijl BIJL - VAN URK
ander Bijl grew up among the Old Masters. His father worked as a restorer at the Rijksmuseum Amsterdam and later he opened a home studio. When Bijl met fine art dealers in his fathers studio, he decided this was the career he wanted to pursue. Provenance “Many people have seen Old Masters in museums. You can not touch the works, and they are kept in climate-controlled environments. When you see specialists on television working on Old Masters, they are usually wearing gloves. This leads people to assume that 17th-century paintings are very vulnerable. But nothing is further from the truth: you have to take Old Masters in your hands. As a dealer, I learn a lot about a painting by touching it. I always turn the painting so I can see the back. Many paintings have stickers or seals on the back that reveal which auctions and collections the painting has been part of. This is a great help in establishing the so-called provenance. I also like to look at a painting from different angles in daylight. I pick it up and take it over to the window. This way I can see far more details. Of course a certain degree of caution is required as you want to be able to enjoy a work as long possible. If you are seriously interested in buying a painting, you can ask the dealer if you can hold it. Would you buy a car without taking it for a test drive first?”
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INTERVIEW JONATHAN GREEN
onathan Green was quietly smiling when he opened the door of 33 New Bond Street on 22 November 2011. Not just because business was brisk at the gallery that the family firm had bought in 1990 and that had just undergone a large-scale two-year restoration. Or because people said the gallery was setting new standards – not just in Mayfair, but in London and even globally. No, he was mainly pleased because the new gallery rises up one storey above its neighbour. And that neighbour just happens to be Sotheby’s. “It’s perhaps a bit silly, but it gives me a certain satisfaction,” says Green when Vernis meets him during a quiet moment on a busy Friday afternoon at the firm. “It shows that we’re not doing badly, compared to our world-famous competitor.” It is from here – a newly refurbished building with a neo-classical façade that conceals an interior with modern and light-filled spaces – that Jonathan Green (53), son of Richard and grandson of the gallery’s founder James Green, oversees the art world as one of the world’s leading art dealers. Green’s impressive collection was recently valued at more than € 130 million. The annual average turnover of the galleries – with premises at 33 and 147 New Bond Street – hovers around the € 100 million mark. In 1936, Jonathan’s grandfather James Green opened an art and antiques dealership down the road at 4 St James’s Street. Bond Street was still out of reach, but the gallery was centrally located. “Already at a young age, my father Richard became fascinated by his father’s art business, just like I was one generation later. He left school at the age of 15 to start working with his father at his gallery at 9 New Bond Street. In 1955 he set out on his own, joining my uncle John, who owned a gallery in Piccadilly Arcade and in 1959 they opened the St James’s Gallery in Jermyn Street. They worked together until 1964, when they went their separate ways as picture dealers, 078
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TRADING BEAUTY Vernis meets Jonathan Green, a director at the Richard Green Gallery, which is one of the most famous family art dealerships in the world. “The art market doesn’t need to worry about a new crisis.” my uncle John to develop his twin interests in art and property businesses and my father to open his own gallery with my mother in Dover Street.” The brothers started working together
again in the 1990s, combining their experience in property development and the art trade. They bought the gallery at 33 New Bond Street in 1989, followed by 147 New Bond Street in the mid-1990s, a gallery that spring 2016
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Jonathan Green (right) and his brother, fellow director Matthew Green.
Pieter Claesz., Still life with a herring on a pewter plate. Signed with monogram PC and dated 1632, oil on panel.
number 33 diagonally opposite. Jonathan witnessed the firm’s growth first hand. “I was just seven or eight when I started travelling to auctions. It was an exciting international scene where large amounts of money were exchanged. I particularly remember a trip to the US to buy art – not something your average schoolboy gets to see.” Unlike his father, Jonathan did go to university. “We had the financial means
had been occupied by the famous Wildenstein Gallery. After largescale renovations, the premises were opened in 1998 with galleries over three floors and a spectacular central gallery with a large skylight. It was a museum-like setting that was rare and sensational at the time – it actually still is. Today it is one of the two premises of the Richard Green Gallery, in addition to the Richard Green Room at London’s National Gallery, which the family firm sponsors. Today, the Old Masters are exhibited at the gallery’s premises at 147 New Bond Street, while modern pieces, including works by Henry Moore, William Scott, Patrick Heron, Ivon Hitchens and Frank Auerbach, are exhibited and sold at the new flagship gallery at spring 2016
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‘In many of the pieces we sell, the story behind the art is just as valuable as the work itself’
and my parents weren’t opposed to the idea so I went to study History of Art. My parents never insisted that I go to university, but I believe it has been a valuable addition to my experience on the ground. It allowed me to place things in context.” Opportunities Jonathan still sees his father and his uncle as mentors. However, since he took over the reins 20 years ago, he has been able to give a personal touch to the multimillioneuro business, in particular by investing in modern British art. “The art trade is a splendid profession. As an art dealer, you find yourself surrounded by the skill of great artists, the emotions that come with the buying and selling of art, and the business side of the profession, such as seeing opportunities. I have no preference for a specific artistic current. You could call my taste eclectic. I can be just as inspired by a Turner as by an old Dutch Master or an Impressionist. I am also fascinated by the provenance, the ownership history of a work. Was it displayed in a castle? Was it sold at some point because of family feuds? Which famous eyes have viewed the work? In which bedroom was it displayed? This mysterious aspect of the trade is captivating. In many of the pieces we sell, the story behind the art is just as valuable as the work itself.” The value of art Green also likes the fact that art is not just beautiful, but also valuable – literally. “Speculation in the art trade goes back to the 18th and 19th centuries. But I have to say that the number of speculators on the market has risen massively over the last 30 years. It affects us too of course, especially when it comes to modern works from after World War II. We get Japanese and Russians coming in who immediately zone in on certain modern works that are said to be recession-proof or that are in their eyes undervalued. It can lead to absurd prices, which have nothing to do with the work’s artistic value. But overall, I am not ›› vernis#10
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worried about the art market. Because the people who can put down a million for a painting – or five, or ten – have hundreds of millions in the bank. Art is small change for them. They can take a loss if it turns out they made an unwise investment. And then the work will re-enter the market at more normal prices. “The art market likes to put itself in the spotlight; record prizes for works of art always make good headlines – but in fact it is a tiny market, we estimate it at $ 40 billion a year globally. That’s the equivalent of a day’s trading on the London stock market. Besides a small dip, the art market was hardly affected by the economic crash of 2008. On the contrary: the big money saw art as a safe haven, where they could invest capital that was exposed to turmoil in the equity and real estate markets. We’re talking about the top of the market though: famous artists, work that is internationally recognized by museums and experts. Elsewhere things have changed.” In 1973, Jonathan’s father Richard sold a controlling share of his business to the merchant bank Montagu. It was a move that put the gallery on the map, though the bank did become a majority shareholder and from then on the Greens had to cater to the bankers’ whims. By the 1980s he was able to buy out Montagu with the capital he had built up. From then on Richard – and the young Jonathan – had a free hand to develop the collection. This included famous works from the Flemish and Dutch School, but also post-war British art. New money “We know the world of collectors inside out,” says Green. “From Old Masters to Impressionists and modern art. We buy the best examples, in the best condition, with excellent provenance. That limits the choice, but also makes it easier for us.” “It also mean we have to set money aside to purchase works, especially for modern art which can go for exorbitant prices. In that respect, the prices of the Old Masters are relatively attractive. This year, the Get080
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DUTCH MASTERS
Green at TEFAF Every year, the Richard Green Gallery sends out 2,500 invitations for TEFAF. This year visitors to Green’s stand will be able to admire around 50 works including Dutch Masters, Impressionists and a
special exhibition of nine works by Eugène Boudin (1824-1898) and his ‘Cercle’. There will also be a rare pastel by Monet on display. There is also work by Johan-Barthold Jongkind (1819-1891), who spent time painting
ty Museum bought a work by Orazio Gentileschi for $ 30 million and in 2014 Sotheby’s sold a Turner for $ 30 million. The Netherlands and France recently paid the banking family Rothschild € 160 million for two Rembrandts – the absolute top obviously. It was a lot, and very exceptional for Old Masters. On the other hand, a single work by Koons, Balloon Dog, fetched € 43
with Boudin and Monet near Honfleur in the summer of 1864. And finally, there is a still life by the Old Master Pieter Claesz (1632), which was hidden from view in a Scottish private collection for more than a century.
million and a triptych by Francis Bacon sold for € 105 million; those are not exceptions.” “Speculation is not the only factor driving those high prices. It also has to do with the Gulf States marketing themselves as a new cultural centre. To put it bluntly, the Qataris have to fill up their museums. New entrants to the art market like the spring 2016
JONATHAN GREEN INTERVIEW 03
Eugene Boudin, Venise, la Salute, la Douane et la début du Grand Canal. Inscribed, signed
Emirates choose artists with brand value to draw visitors. They have no idea who Gentileschi is. We deal with connoisseurs, collectors who are looking for that one masterpiece to add to their collection. But we also get people who are just looking for something nice to put over their sofa; people who’ve just bought a house for £ 20 million, spent £ 5 million on refurbishments and have another £ 5 million set aside for art. Deep silence The market changes with the world economy – but not exceptionally rapidly, says Green. “We target Brits and Americans. They speak the language, know the history and the artists, understand the role of the art dealer as an expert and intermediary between supply and demand.” Meanwhile there is only deep silence from the Netherlands. “They’ve dropped away. They used to be great collectors, but since the spring 2016
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Richard Green and his father James on Duke Street, St James’s, in the 1960s.
and dated lower right: ‘Venise/ E. Boudin 95’, oil on canvas.
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financial crisis, the impetus is gone. It must be at least five years since I sold a piece to a Dutch buyer.” Nonetheless, Green plans to be prominently present at TEFAF this year (see box). “We take part in four to seven fairs a year, but Maastricht is still our favourite. We’ve been going there since 1974, my father let me accompany him the second time he went and I immediately fell in love
‘It must be at least five years since I sold a piece to a Dutch buyer’
with the place. The richness of the offering and the quality are unique: each of the hundreds of thousands of items has been inspected by experts. The TEFAF vetting system is like no other in the world. “As a board member, I work with 20 colleagues to determine the fair’s strategy, its layout, the admissions and levels of service. The quality of the offering remains unrivalled. Still, no one can say whether it will be a success from a business point of view: when everyone had predicted TEFAF’s demise during the financial crisis, we achieved record sales and last year, when the crisis was meant to be over, business was slow. Buyers hang back and we only sell works on second or third viewing, sometimes months after the fair. When am I satisfied? Once we sold 20 paintings during the fair – that’s always been a nice memory. “I’m looking forward to TEFAF in New York later this year. The board sees the fair growing in the vicinity of clients. We bought out two fairs from fair organizer Artvest in Manhattan, apparently for millions of euros though I can’t confirm that. We asked them to co-organize under the name TEFAF one modern art fair and one for fine art, with the first fair scheduled mid-October. It gives us a nice entry into the market. I’m excited. It helps that it was the dealers who asked for it themselves; they were the ones who wanted to go to Manhattan. It’s encouraging that there are already many people signing up for both fairs. They’re relatively small fairs; we aren’t going to make any rash steps. I hope that New York won’t be perceived as a oneoff, but that it will also serve and as an excellent visiting card for the mothership in that exotic, faraway Maastricht.”
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Onno Aerden IM AGES
The Richard Green Gallery
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“We have a passion for icons. Our gallery specialises in old Russian and Greek icons of the highest quality. Please visit our website to see our recent collection.” This extremely rare Russian icon of Christ, the True Vine (second half 18th Century, 50 x 40 cm) shows Christ standing with an open Gospel (Mt. 11, 28) in his right hand and a sword in his left hand. The branches behind Christ, fanning out to his left and right, refer to John 15, 1-10: “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts away every branch of mine that doesn’t produce fruit.” On each branch a member of the clergy is seated. The branches on Christ’s right have leaves and bear fruit. The saints sitting on the fruitful branches are accompanied by angels who lead them to the gates of Paradise, which is depicted above the tree.
The barren branches on Christ’s left hand are being hacked off by angels. The unrighteous preachers fall down into the fiery mouth of Hell. The inscription proceeding from Christ’s mouth is directed at the fruit-bearing righteous: “My father has blessed you! Come and receive the kingdom that was prepared for you before the world was created. When I was hungry, you gave me something to eat...” (Mt. 25, 34-35). The inscription on the sword condemns the unrighteous: “Get away from me! You are under God’s curse. Go into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels!” (Mt. 25, 41).
Heutink Ikonen Zwolle, The Netherlands • +31 6 13 21 23 27 • www.heutinkikonen.nl
ENSEMBLE PORTFOLIO
A beautifully laid table is an inexhaustible source of inspiration for art and antiques collectors. Fine porcelain, silver or glassware create an atmosphere of great luxury. But the art world is also strongly influenced by nature and particularly by the multifaceted animal kingdom. Both tastes are represented in the timeless collectors’ objects that the art and antique dealers affiliated to the Royal Association of Fine Art Dealers are pleased to share with you in this...
IM AGES
Marie Cécile Thijs PRODUCT ION
Caroline Eschbach and Paul Wullems
Gude & Meis Antique Clocks A FRENCH LOUIS XVI ORMOLU AND PATINATED BRONZE PENDULUM ‘THE WINE HARVEST’, AROUND 1790, PRICE UPON REQUEST.
PORTFOLIO ENSEMBLE
Scarlet hues FROM LEFT TO RIGHT
Robert Schreuder Antiquair
Dirk en Dirk-Jan Limburg
Dirk en Dirk-Jan Limburg
TWO ROSSO ANTICO MARBLE OBELISKS, ROME, MID-19TH CENTURY, € 3,800.
ARMORIAL PLATE, DELFTWARE WITH RED AND BLACK PAINTING, AROUND 1750, PRICE UPON REQUEST.
TRAVEL CUTLERY, SILVER WITH AMBER IN A SHAGREEN HOLDER (HOLDER NOT SHOWN), AUGSBURG, AROUND 1690, € 7,500.
ENSEMBLE PORTFOLIO
Aronson Antiquairs
Galerie Frans Leidelmeijer
Peter Korf de Gidts Antiquairs
POLYCHROME GILDED DISH, DELFTWARE, AROUND 1710, ATTRIBUTED TO PIETER ADRIAENSZ. KOCX, PRICE € 4,500.
VASE OF MULTI-COLOURED GLASS, ENTITLED SIRIO, DESIGN ETTORE SOTTSASS (1917-2007), PRODUCTION GINO CANEDESE & FIGLIO, VENICE FOR MEMPHIS MILAN, 1983, € 4,200.
ART NOUVEAU WINE GLASS, CUP WITH RED OVERLAY AND FINE SILVER DECORATION, FOOT AND STEM OF BLACK GLASS, BOHEMIA, AROUND 1900, € 1,200.
PORTFOLIO ENSEMBLE
À table! FROM LEFT TO RIGHT
Kunsthandel Jacques Fijnaut
Peter Korf de Gidts Antiquairs
TUREEN, CORNELIS VAN DIJCK, DELFT, 1708, PRICE UPON REQUEST.
SWEETMEAT STAINED GLASS FOR CANDIED FRUITS AND SWEETS SUCH AS FINGER FOOD, ENGLAND, AROUND 1745, € 2,000.
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Kunsthandel Jacques Fijnaut A PAIR OF GRAVY BOATS, W.C. WIERCX, BREDA, 1806, PRICE UPON REQUEST.
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A. Aardewerk Antiquair Juwelier FOOTED TRAY, NIJMEGEN, AROUND 1725, GERARDUS CORNELI, PRICE UPON REQUEST.
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A. Aardewerk Antiquair Juwelier GOBLET, HAARLEM, 1693, DIRK VAN DE GRAEFF, PRICE UPON REQUEST.
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A. Aardewerk Antiquair Juwelier SILVER ROEMER, DELFT, 1609, HALLMARK OF A UNICORN, PRICE UPON REQUEST.
ENSEMBLE PORTFOLIO
A. Aardewerk Antiquair Juwelier
Dirk en Dirk-Jan Limburg
TUREEN (LEFT), AMSTERDAM, 1789, JOHANNES SCHIOTLING, PRICE UPON REQUEST.
PAIR OF SALT SHAKERS, FAMILLE VERTE, KANGXI PERIOD AROUND 1700, € 3,500.
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Frides Laméris Kunst en Antiekhandel MONTEITH, I.E. FAIENCE BOWL TO COOL AND RINSE GLASSES, MOUSTIERS, FRANCE, MID-18TH CENTURY, PRICE UPON REQUEST.
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Galerie Frans Leidelmeijer TUTTI FRUTTI, SPAGHETTI-SHAPED FRUIT BOWL IN THE COLOURS OF THE ITALIAN FLAG, DESIGN GAETANO PESCE, PRODUCTION FISH DESIGN, MILAN, 2004, POLYURETHANE, € 3,000.
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Peter Korf de Gidts Antiquairs FORK AND KNIFE, HANDLES WITH POLYCHROME FLORAL DECORATION OF GLASS BEADS, NORTH BOHEMIA, AROUND 1840, € 850.
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Aronson Antiquairs PAIR OF POLYCHROME MELON TUREENS, COVERS AND STANDS, DELFTWARE, AROUND 1760, PRICE ON REQUEST.
PORTFOLIO ENSEMBLE
Equine excellence FROM LEFT TO RIGHT
Aronson Antiquairs
Robert Schreuder Antiquair
PAIR OF POLYCHROME FIGURES OF BROWN
DRAWING OF A HORSE’S HEAD, HOLLAND,
HORSES, DELFTWARE, AROUND 1765, MARKED FOR
FIRST HALF OF THE 19TH CENTURY,
DE PORCELEYNE BYL, PRICE UPON REQUEST.
€ 3,200.
ENSEMBLE PORTFOLIO
Foumani Persian Gallery
Kunsthandel Jacques Fijnaut
VAG-VAG TREE RUG, NORTHERN INDIA,
A NEAPOLITAN POLYCHROMED STALLION,
Robert Schreuder Antiquair BRONZE SCULPTURE OF A REARING
EARLY 19TH CENTURY,
MID-18TH CENTURY,
HORSE, FRANCE, MID-19TH CENTURY,
€19,500
PRICE UPON REQUEST.
H 38 CM, €3,400.
COURSE PROGRAMME
Some of the Koninklijke VHOK Masters (from left to right): Anna Laméris, Niels de Boer, Ali Foumani, Theo Daatselaar, Emiel Aardewerk, Anne-Marie Verbeek, Willem Jan Hoogsteder. 090
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COURSE PROGRAMME
KONINKLIJKE VHOK
LEARN FROM AN OLD MASTER
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MARIE-CÉCILE THIJS
spring 2016
COURSE PROGRAMME
COURSE: KUNST & AN In the course Kunst & Antiek in de Praktijk (Art & Antiques in Practice), we open doors for you. Renowned art dealers, many of whom regularly appear on the television show ‘Tussen Kunst & Kitsch’, a Dutch version of the BBC’s ‘Antiques Roadshow’, share their unique expertise and experience with you. Antique dealers will be receiving you in their homes and shops or accompanying you to a museum, art fair or restoration workshop. You will have the chance to study
and hold rare pieces, while experts provide detailed commentary and background. In this course, we share not only our knowledge, but also our love of fine art.
Practical information The autumn course runs from early September until early December 2016. The course consists of 11 sessions that take place on Tuesday afternoons from 14:00 to around 17:00 at various locations in the Nether-
lands. The course is given in groups of no more than 15 people. The participation fee is € 725 (incl. VAT) for 11 sessions.
Expertise Old Masters, 19th and 20th-century painting, (Delft) earthenware, porcelain, glass, silver, jewellery, icons, sculpture, clocks, carpets, medieval and Renaissance art, Asian art, archaeology, modern and contemporary art and Islamic Art.
For more information on our course programme Visit our website www.kvhok.nl, send an email to info@kvhok.nl or send the enclosed form to: Koninklijke VHOK, Damrak 375, 1012 ZJ Amsterdam.
COURSE KUNST & ANTIEK IN DE PRAKTIJK
An antique silver tankard, Amsterdam, 1770, Johannes Schiotling.
The undersigned, wishes, to register for the autumn course (in the Dutch language). to receive more information about the course Kunst & Antiek in de Praktijk.
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FULL ADDRESS
COUNTRY
TELEPHONE
DATE / SIGNATURE
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Friendship glass with an engraving of David and Jonathan, attributed to Johannes Mattheus Kieseling (1691-1735), the Netherlands, 1718-1735.
spring 2016
COURSE PROGRAMME
TIEK IN DE PRAKTIJK Emiel Aardewerk:
‘A richly decorated rococo tankard made of silver was a rarity in the 18 th century’ What can a tankard tell us about life in the 17th and 18th century?
MARIE-CÉCILE THIJS
rom the Middle Ages onwards beer was the common drink. It was safer than the often-polluted municipal water, because the water was boiled before being used to brew beer. Before the rise of coffee and tea, beer was drunk
throughout the day until the 18th century. Besides regular cold beer, there was also ‘Susenol’, a breakfast beer made of warm beer and eggs. During the winter months there was ‘Wip’, a mixture of warm beer with eggs, sugar and brandy. Beer was drunk from a tankard with a lid that was attached to the handle with a hinge. Initially tankards were made of stoneware, glass,
earthenware and porcelain. The first silver tankards were produced at the end of the 17th century, but became rare in the 18th century. This sturdy tankard with a beautifully detailed cast floral festoon is one of six known examples produced by Schiotling. The lid and thumbpiece are also decorated and form a strong contrast to the smooth, traditional basic shape of the body.”
Anna Laméris:
‘A typically Dutch friendship glass from the 18th century’ Why are David and Jonathan often depicted on friendship glasses?
MARIE-CÉCILE THIJS
spring 2016
uring dinners in the Netherlands, a series of toasts were made, each one with a different glass. “These wishes end with a toast to friendship, this is the toast that most pleases the Dutch,” wrote Denis Diderot
in Voyage en Hollande in 1773-1774. Many glasses were specially engraved for the toast to friendship, often showing the Old Testament figures David and Jonathan, who were considered the ultimate symbol of friendship. When David was asked to brighten the King Saul’s mood with his harp music, he became close friends with Saul’s son Jonathan. But when David
turned out to be a talented military leader, the jealous King Saul wanted to murder him. Jonathan warned David and helped him to escape. The glass shows the two friends taking leave of each other. David can be recognized through his harp. Jonathan is often depicted with a bow and arrow, attributes that played a role in David’s escape (I Samuel 16-20).”
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CIRCLE OF FRIENDS 01
Meeting likeminded people.
he Circle of Friends of the Koninklijke VHOK (Royal Association of Fine Art Dealers) is headed by four of its founding members: Ali Foumani and his daughter Setareh of Foumani Persian Gallery, Jos Meis of Gude & Meis Antique Clocks and Peter Korf de Gidts of the eponymous antique dealership. “The idea to establish a circle of friends was not new,” says Foumani. “Already in 2005, the board of the Koninklijke VHOK noted that our members’ clients were interested in deepening their knowledge of art and antiques beyond the annual invitation to art fairs. That’s why we established the course Kunst & Antiek in de Praktijk (Art & Antiques in Practice).” Korf de Gidts adds: “That proved to be a great success. The course, which covers a broad range of topics from paintings and furniture to applied arts, comprises 11 classes. During the course Koninklijke VHOK members present lectures and host classes in their shops, galleries or homes. All our experts are specialists in their field and tell wonderful stories about their pieces. They offer course participants a glimpse behind the scenes of their profession. People love the fact that they can hold real objects in their hands and that they’re not just listening to dry theory. The first participants hardly dared to touch the glassware in my shop; I had to insist that you have to hold an object in order to be able to ‘feel’ it. We teach 094
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‘ ART SHOULD MOVE YOU’ To give people a chance to look over the expert’s shoulder: that was the aim of the Circle of Friends of the Koninklijke VHOK when it was founded a few years ago. Today the circle offers many other interesting perks and membership numbers are constantly rising.
CIRCLE OF FRIENDS
Mission of the Circle of Koninklijke VHOK Friends Spark enthusiasm, share knowledge, allow friends to actively participate in activities surrounding the collections of the members of the Koninklijke VHOK, train private collectors and stimulate their interest in our artistic heritage.
people to go out and research, to ask questions and to use a critical eye. For many that’s a first. At the end of the course, participants feel privileged to have seen an aspect of the art market that most never will.” Around 500 people have taken the course in the last few years. Jos Meis: “Some of them come back every year, for the same course. It showed that people were not just looking for knowledge, but also liked the sense of exclusivity that the course offers and the interaction with likeminded people. It confirmed our belief spring 2016
CIRCLE OF FRIENDS
The board of the Circle of Friends (2) Ali Foumani; (3) Jos Meis; (4) Setareh Foumani; (5) Peter Korf de Gidts.
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other institutions. “Three groups are professionally involved in art and antiques: museums, science and trade. Museums concentrate on analysing an object, collecting knowledge about it and exhibiting it. Science deepens that knowledge and places it in a historical context. Trade focuses on a more dynamic and more current type of knowledge gathering. The knowledge is also broader and more differentiated; the art doesn’t necessarily have to be interesting from a scientific or museological point of view. However, as many dealers don’t record their knowledge in writing, much remains hidden. Our Circle allows us to share our knowledge. For us, it is also about feeling; emotion and
CIRCLE OF FRIENDS
Friends of the Koninklijke VHOK receive the following • Access to a network of art experts and art lovers • Twice a year, the magazine Vernis • Two entrance tickets to the art and antiques fair ART Breda • Two entrance tickets to the art and antiques fair PAN Amsterdam • Several events, like a special valuation day during which experts of the Koninklijke VHOK value art and antiques presented by Friends and give lectures about their specialties, or an exclusive guided tour at ART Breda or PAN Amsterdam • Discount on the course Kunst & Antiek in de Praktijk • Newsletter with articles by members and scientific publications To become a Friend of the Koninklijke VHOK, visit our website www.kvhok.nl/vriendenclub or send an email to vriend@kvhok.nl
that people would be interested in joining a circle of friends. The event we organized at the most recent PAN art and antiques fair showed that we are on the right track.” Seeking depth As they set about establishing the Circle of Friends, the four-member committee looked closely at similar circles hosted by cultural institutions such as the Rijksmuseum. Still, Foumani says, there are major differences between the Circle of Friends of the Koninklijke VHOK and that of spring 2016
experience play a much smaller role in museums or science.” Spark enthusiasm Meis emphasizes that the Circle of Friends of the Koninklijke VHOK are in the first place guests, not sponsors. “We offer Friends depth and knowledge about our métier. Both the specialists and the Friends enjoy the exchange of knowledge.” Korf de Gidts agrees. “The trade mainly targets private collectors: we want to engage and train them, and help them find the object
that best suits their taste. We aren’t trying to get record visitor numbers into an exhibition, or buying pieces with the highest sales value or studying whether that one item is the missing link in a certain period. We take an object, look at it from all sides and read, write or talk about it. It doesn’t matter whether the piece would make it into a museum or is scientifically unique. It is beautiful because it moves us. A beautiful carpet with a story, an intriguing piece of glassware that may or may not be in a perfect state or an ingeniously made clock: we want to explain why it was crafted in such an artistic manner and why it should be preserved. We try to pass our enthusiasm on to art lovers. Private collectors are often the best guardians of our heritage because they aren’t interested in fashion trends or commercial value. Private individuals buy based their own preferences and point of view. We help them do that.” Meis adds: “People don’t really learn to look at things properly these days, to recognize quality and appreciate it. But after an afternoon spent on our course, they say: ‘You know, I never found clocks interesting, but your story has shown me how unusual they can be.’ Our aim is to trigger that curiosity – also about the objects that people have in their homes. That’s why we’re going to organize a valuation day this year, so that people can learn more about the objects they already own.” Korf de Gidts: “What’s great about this approach is that it appeals to all ages. We have 30somethings among the Friends, and I’m 81. The passion for this wonderful profession is in your blood, you grow up with it and it stays with you until the end. We plant a seed that grows to be a beautiful tree of knowledge and enthusiasm. That’s also how our Friends become ambassadors of our profession, because in the end they all say: ‘I only want to buy something that is beautifully crafted.’”
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LIST OF MEMBERS All contact details of members of the Royal Association of Fine Art Dealers in the Netherlands, plus information on their specialty. NOORD-HOLLAND AMSTERDAM ALGEMEENE ETHNOGRAFICAEN KUNSTHANDEL AALDERINK SPIEGELGRACHT 15 1017 JP AMSTERDAM +31 (0)20-6230211 INFO@AALDERINKORIENTALART.NL WWW.AALDERINKORIENTALART.NL ASIAN ART, ETHNOGRAPHY, PRE-COLUMBIAN ART
ARCHEA ANCIENT ART NIEUWE SPIEGELSTRAAT 37 1017 DC AMSTERDAM +31 (0)20-6250552 INFO@ARCHEA.NL WWW.ARCHEA.NL ARCHEOLOGY
E.H. ARIËNS KAPPERS KEIZERSGRACHT 208 1016 DX AMSTERDAM +31 (0)20-6235356 INFO@MASTERPRINTS.NL WWW.MASTERPRINTS.NL OLD (JAPANESE) PRINTS, MAPS AND CHARTS
ARONSON ANTIQUAIRS NIEUWE SPIEGELSTRAAT 45B POSTBUS 15556 1001 NB AMSTERDAM +31 (0)20-6233103 MAIL@ARONSON.COM WWW.ARONSON.COM DELFTWARE
VOF JAN BEEKHUIZEN KUNST EN ANTIEKHANDEL NIEUWE SPIEGELSTRAAT 49 1017 DD AMSTERDAM +31 (0)20 6263912 INFO@JANBEEKHUIZEN. AMSTERDAM WWW.JANBEEKHUIZEN. AMSTERDAM EUROPEAN PEWTER, SCULPTURES, FOLK ART
J.P. BEELING VAN EEGHENSTRAAT 20 1071 GG AMSTERDAM +31 (0)6-24905541 JP@BEELING.NL ASIAN PORCELAIN
KUNSTHANDEL P. DE BOER HERENGRACHT 512 1017 CC AMSTERDAM +31 (0)20-6236849 +31 (0)6-21520044 INFO@KUNSTHANDELPDEBOER.COM WWW.KUNSTHANDELPDEBOER.COM OLD MASTERS
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BORZO MODERN & CONTEMPORARY ART
MATHIEU HART ANTIQUITEITEN SINDS 1878
KEIZERSGRACHT 516 1017 EJ AMSTERDAM +31 (0)20-6263303 +31 (0)6-53163808 PAUL@BORZO.COM WWW.BORZO.COM MODERN AND CONTEMPORARY ART
ROKIN 122 1012 LC AMSTERDAM +31 (0)20-6231658 MHART@XS4ALL.NL WWW.HARTANTIQUES.COM GENERAL ANTIQUARIAN
BRUIL & BRANDSMA WORKS OF ART NIEUWE SPIEGELSTRAAT 68 1017 DH AMSTERDAM +31 (0)20-4207359 BBC@CHELLO.NL WWW.BB-ART.COM MEDIEVAL AND RENAISSANCE ART, FOLK ART
GALLERY DELAIVE MODERN AND CONTEMPORARY ART SPIEGELGRACHT 23 1017 JP AMSTERDAM +31 (0)20-6259087 GALLERY.DELAIVE@WXS.NL WWW.DELAIVE.COM MODERN AND CONTEMPORARY ART
DOUWES FINE ART (ANNO 1805) STADHOUDERSKADE 40 1071 ZD AMSTERDAM +31 (0)20-6646362 INFO@DOUWESFINEART.COM WWW.DOUWESFINEART.COM OLD MASTERS, 19TH AND 20TH CENTURY PAINTINGS
KUNSTHANDEL JACQUES FIJNAUT NIEUWE SPIEGELSTRAAT 31 1017 DC AMSTERDAM +31 (0)20-6256374 OFFICE@KUNSTHANDELFIJNAUT.NL WWW.KUNSTHANDELFIJNAUT.NL GENERAL ANTIQUARIAN
FOUMANI PERSIAN GALLERY BEETHOVENSTRAAT 107A 1077 HX AMSTERDAM +31 (0)20-6797430 INFO@FOUMANI.COM WWW.FOUMANI.COM ISLAMIC ART, CARPETS, KILIMS
GUDE & MEIS ANTIQUE CLOCKS NIEUWE SPIEGELSTRAAT 60 1017 DH AMSTERDAM +31 (0)20-6129742 +31 (0)6-53162962 INFO@GUDEMEIS.COM WWW.GUDEANTIQUECLOCKS.COM CLOCKS, BAROMETERS, INSTRUMENTATION
KUNSTHANDEL FRANS JACOBS THE TERRAZE BUILDING EMMY ANDRIESSESTRAAT 582 1087 NE AMSTERDAM +31 (0)20-6381729 INFO@JACOBSFINEART.COM WWW.JACOBSFINEART.COM 20TH AND 21TH CENTURY PAINTINGS
PETER KORF DE GIDTS ANTIQUAIRS BROUWERSGRACHT 869 1015 GK AMSTERDAM +31 (0)20-6252625 KORFDEGIDTS@XS4ALL.NL GLASS, POTTERY, PORCELAIN
FRIDES LAMÉRIS KUNST EN ANTIEKHANDEL NIEUWE SPIEGELSTRAAT 55 1017 DD AMSTERDAM +31 (0)20-6264066 INFO@FRIDESLAMERIS.NL WWW.FRIDESLAMERIS.NL GLASS, POTTERY, (ASIAN) PORCELAIN
GALERIE FRANS LEIDELMEIJER LIJNBAANSGRACHT 369H 1017 XB AMSTERDAM +31 (0)20-6254627 FRANS@LEIDELMEIJER.NL WWW.LEIDELMEIJER.NL ART NOUVEAU, ART DECO, 20TH-CENTURY DESIGN
INTER-ANTIQUARIAAT MEFFERDT & DE JONGE BERNARD ZWEERSKADE 18 1077 TZ AMSTERDAM +31 (0)20-6640841 INTERANTIQUARIAAT@CHELLO.NL WWW.INTER-ANTIQUARIAAT.NL ANTIQUARIAN BOOKS, DRAWINGS, PRINTS, MAPS AND CHARTS
JOSEPH M. MORPURGO HERENGRACHT 119 (RECHTER DEUR) 1015 BG AMSTERDAM +31 (0)20-6235883 J.M.MORPURGO@WAFELMAN.NL WWW.ANTIQUEARTMORPURGO.COM GENERAL ANTIQUARIAN, ASIAN ART
JAN MORSINK IKONEN
KUNSTZALEN A. VECHT
KEIZERSGRACHT 454 1016 GE AMSTERDAM +31 (0)20-6200411 INFO@MORSINK.COM WWW.MORSINK.COM ICONS
NIEUWE SPIEGELSTRAAT 40 1017 DG AMSTERDAM +31 (0)20-6234748 A.VECHT@PLANET.NL WWW.VECHT-WORKSOFART.NL GENERAL ANTIQUARIAN
VAN NIE ANTIQUAIRS KEIZERSGRACHT 600 1017 EP AMSTERDAM +31 (0)20-6261594 INFO@VANNIEANTIQUAIRS.COM WWW.VANNIEANTIQUAIRS.COM GENERAL ANTIQUARIAN
KUNSTHANDEL PETER PAPPOT NIEUWE SPIEGELSTRAAT 30-34 1017 DG AMSTERDAM +31 (0)20-6242637 INFO@PAPPOT.COM WWW.PETERPAPPOT.COM 19TH AND 20TH CENTURY PAINTINGS
POLAK WORKS OF ART SPIEGELGRACHT 3 1017 JP AMSTERDAM +31 (0)20-6279009 WWW.FINEARTDEALERS.INFO/ JAAPPOLAK AZIATISCHE KUNST, ETNOGRAFICA
PREMSELA & HAMBURGER ROKIN 98 1012 KZ AMSTERDAM +31 (0)20-6275454 WIET@PREMSELA.COM WWW.PREMSELA.COM JEWELRY, GOLD, SILVER
ANTIQUAIR VAN ROSSUM & CO. AMSTERDAM +31 (0)20-6221010 ANTIQUAIR@VANROSSUMCO.NL GENERAL ANTIQUARIAN
ROBERT SCHREUDER ANTIQUAIR NIEUWE SPIEGELSTRAAT 48 1017 DG AMSTERDAM +31 (0)20-6754867 +31 (0)6-24289550 INFO@ROBERTSCHREUDER.NL WWW.ROBERTSCHREUDER.NL GRAND TOUR SOUVENIRS, 18TH- AND 19TH-CENTURY FURNITURE
ANTIQUAIR JUWELIER MARJAN STERK NIEUWE SPIEGELSTRAAT 63 1017 DD AMSTERDAM +31 (0)20-6248703 INFO@MARJANSTERK.NL WWW.MARJANSTERK.NL JEWELERY, SILVER
KUNSTHANDEL INEZ STODEL NIEUWE SPIEGELSTRAAT 65 1017 DD AMSTERDAM +31 (0)20-6232942 INEZ@INEZSTODEL.COM WWW.INEZSTODEL.COM JEWELERY
SALOMON STODEL ANTIQUITÉS SPIEGELGRACHT 11 1017 JP AMSTERDAM +31 (0)20-6231692 STODEL@WXS.NL WWW.SALOMONSTODEL.COM GENERAL ANTIQUARIAN
VERBEEK-SCHUTTELAAR KEIZERSGRACHT 642 1017 ES AMSTERDAM +31 (0)20-3304343 AM@VERBEEKSCHUTTELAAR.NL WWW.VERBEEKSCHUTTELAAR.NL JEWELERY, SILVER
DR. A. WIEG FINE ART MINERVALAAN 77-1 1077 NT AMSTERDAM +31 (0)20 6762094 WIEGFINEART@GMAIL.COM OLD MASTERS, 19TH AND 20TH-CENTURY PAINTINGS
KUNSTHANDEL MIEKE ZILVERBERG ROKIN 60 1012 KV AMSTERDAM +31 (0)20-6259518 INFO@MIEKEZILVERBERG.COM WWW.MIEKEZILVERBERG.COM ARCHEOLOGY, ANCIENT NUMISMATICS
NOORD-HOLLAND OTHERS BIJL-VAN URK KENNEMERSTRAATWEG 174 1815 LE ALKMAAR +31 (0)72-5120080 +31 (0)6-53425432 SANDER@BIJLVANURK.COM WWW.BIJLVANURK.COM OLD MASTERS
JOHN ENDLICH ANTIQUAIRS SPEKSTRAAT 10 2011 HM HAARLEM +31 (0)23-5320274 INFO@JOHNENDLICH.NL WWW.JOHNENDLICH.NL SILVER
FONTIJN ANTIEK STELLINGMOLEN 51 1444 GV PURMEREND +31 (0)299-436493 MFONTIJN@CHELLO.NL WWW.FONTIJNANTIEK.COM BAROMETERS
PIETER HOOGENDIJK AMSTERDAMSESTRAATWEG 31 1411 AW NAARDEN +31 (0)35-5420459 INFO@PHOOGENDIJK.NL WWW.PHOOGENDIJK.COM GENERAL ANTIQUARIAN
GALLERY ROB KATTENBURG EEUWIGELAAN 6 1861 CM BERGEN +31 (0)72-5895051 INFO@ROBKATTENBURG.NL WWW.ROBKATTENBURG.NL MARINE PAINTINGS, DRAWINGS AND PRINTS
spring 2016
KUNSTCONSULT 20TH CENTURY ART | OBJECTS SMEDERIJ 4 1185 ZR AMSTELVEEN +31 (0)20-3416476 +31 (0)6-24960196 INFO@KUNSTCONSULT.NL WWW.KUNSTCONSULT.NL ART NOUVEAU, ART DECO, 20TH-CENTURY DESIGN
TÓTH IKONEN BOTTERWIJNSEWEG 1 1272 EG HUIZEN +31 (0)6-53468236 INFO@TOTHIKONEN.COM WWW.TOTHIKONEN.COM ICONS
KUNSTHANDEL E.J. VAN WISSELINGH & CO BAAN 41 2012 DC HAARLEM +31 (0)23-5310505 WDEWINTER@WISSELINGH.COM WWW.WISSELINGH.COM 19TH AND 20TH CENTURY PAINTINGS AND DRAWINGS
ZUID-HOLLAND OTHERS RUBEN AARDEWERK ANTIQUES ZWALUWLAAN 9A 2261 BP LEIDSCHENDAM +31 (0)70-4190575 RUBEN@AARDEWERKANTIQUES.COM WWW.AARDEWERKANTIQUES.COM ART AND COLLECTIBLES FROM THE 17TH, 18TH AND 19TH CENTURY
ADRIAAN GROENEWOUD ANTIQUITEITEN & OUDE KUNST AELBRECHTSKOLK 3B 3025 HA ROTTERDAM +31 (0)10-4258011 INFO@ADRIAANGROENEWOUD.NL WWW.ADRIAANGROENEWOUD.NL FURNITURE FROM THE 17TH, 18TH AND 19TH CENTURY
KUNSTHANDEL F.A. ENNEKING MAREVISTA 22 2202 BX NOORDWIJK +31 (0)71-3647645 OLD MASTERS
HOTEI JAPANESE PRINTS
ZUID-HOLLAND THE HAGUE A. AARDEWERK ANTIQUAIR JUWELIER JAN VAN NASSAUSTRAAT 76 2596 BV ‘S-GRAVENHAGE +31 (0)70-3240987 SILVER@AARDEWERK.COM WWW.AARDEWERK.COM SILVER, JEWELRY
KUNSTHANDEL IVO BOUWMAN JAN VAN NASSAUSTRAAT 80 2596 BW ’S-GRAVENHAGE +31 (0)70-3283660 INFO@IVOBOUWMAN.NL WWW.IVOBOUWMAN.NL 19TH AND 20TH CENTURY PAINTINGS
HOOGSTEDER & HOOGSTEDER LANGE VIJVERBERG 15 2513 AC ‘S-GRAVENHAGE +31 (0)70-3615575 INFO@HOOGSTEDER.COM WWW.HOOGSTEDER.COM OLD MASTERS
FIRMA S. VAN LEEUWEN NOORDEINDE 164-164A 2514 GR ‘S-GRAVENHAGE +31 (0)70-3653907 ALEXANDER@VANLEEUWENANTIQUAIRS.NL WWW.VANLEEUWENANTIQUAIRS.NL 17TH- AND 18TH-CENTURY ANTIQUES, (ASIAN) PORCELAIN
DIRK EN DIRK-JAN LIMBURG DENNEWEG 45 2514 CD ‘S-GRAVENHAGE +31 (0)70-3455103 LIMBURGANTIQUAIRS@CASEMA.NL WWW.LIMBURGANTIQUAIRS.COM GENERAL ANTIQUARIAN
spring 2016
RAPENBURG 19 2311 GE LEIDEN +31 (0)71-5143552 UKIYOE@XS4ALL.NL WWW.HOTEI-JAPANESE-PRINTS.COM JAPANESE PRINTS, PAINTINGS AND BOOKS
KUNSTHANDEL PIETER OVERDUIN DORPSSTRAAT 28 3381 AG GIESSENBURG +31 (0)184-652652 INFO@KUNSTHANDELPIETEROVERDUIN.NL WWW.KUNSTHANDELPIETEROVERDUIN.NL 19TH AND 20TH CENTURY PAINTINGS
UTRECHT ANTIQUARIAAT FORUM “WESTRENEN” TUURDIJK 16 3997 MS ’T GOY HOUTEN +31 (0)30-6011955 INFO@FORUMRAREBOOKS.COM WWW.FORUMRAREBOOKS.COM ANTIQUARISCHE BOEKEN, MAPS AND CHARTS
JACOB J. ROOSJEN, SRI® EENDRACHTLAAN 33 3621 DD BREUKELEN +31 (0)6-53268280 JACOB.ROOSJEN@GMAIL.COM WWW.JACOBROOSJEN.COM WWW.SILVERRESEARCHINSTITUTE.COM SILVER
GRONINGEN BERNARD C.M. GRIJPMA KUNST EN ANTIEK GEDEMPTE ZUIDERDIEP 121-123 9711 HE GRONINGEN +31 (0)50-3137703 INFO@GRIJPMAANTIEK.NL WWW.GRIJPMAANTIEK.NL ANTIQUE WEAPONS, NAUTICA, SILVER
DRENTHE WIJERMARS FINE ART DORPSSTRAAT 10 7957 AV DE WIJK +31 (0)522-440170 INFO@WIJERMARS.COM WWW.WIJERMARS.COM SCULPTURES
OVERIJSSEL HEUTINK IKONEN AHNEMSTRAAT 21 8043 RE ZWOLLE +31 (0)38-4659524 HEUTINKIKONEN@GMAIL.COM WWW.HEUTINKIKONEN.NL ICONS
GELDERLAND KUNSTGALERIJ ALBRICHT UTRECHTSEWEG 107 6862 AE OOSTERBEEK +31 (0)26-3611876 INFO@ALBRICHT.NL WWW.ALBRICHT.NL 19TH AND 20TH CENTURY PAINTINGS
DOORNHOF ANTIQUAIRS SCHAPENHOEK 12/14 3841 BM HARDERWIJK +31 (0)341-421015 PDOORN12@CAIWAY.NL WWW.DOORNHOFANTIEK.NL FURNITURE, ASIAN PORCELAIN, CLOCKS, PAINTINGS
THEO DAATSELAAR ANTIQUAIRS OENSELSESTRAAT 50 5301 EP ZALTBOMMEL +31 (0)418-712300 INFO@DAATSELAAR.COM WWW.DAATSELAAR.COM GENERAL ANTIQUARIAN
DE EENHOORN WATERSTRAAT 33 5301 AH ZALTBOMMEL +31 (0)418-515233 AADPENDERS@HOTMAIL.NL MEDIEVAL AND RENAISSANCE ART, FURNITURE
MENTINK & ROEST
SIMONIS & BUUNK KUNSTHANDEL NOTARIS FISCHERSTRAAT 30 6711 BD EDE +31 (0)318-652888 INFO@SIMONIS-BUUNK.NL WWW.SIMONIS-BUUNK.NL 19TH AND 20TH CENTURY PAINTINGS
NOORD-BRABANT BASTINGS ANTIQUAIRS MOLENSTRAAT 60 5341 GE OSS +31 (0)412-623843 BASTINGS@BASTINGSANTIQUAIRS.COM WWW.BASTINGSANTIQUAIRS.COM POTTERY, ASIAN PORCELAIN
KUNSTHANDEL A.H. BIES BOSCHDIJK 221A 5612 HC EINDHOVEN +31 (0)40-2431377 INFO@KUNSTHANDELBIES.NL WWW.KUNSTHANDELBIES.NL 19TH AND 20TH CENTURY PAINTINGS
CRIJNS & STENDER LANDGOED “OOSTERHEIDE” TILBURGSEBAAN 1 4904 SP OOSTERHOUT +31 (0)76-5875700 M.CRIJNS@PLANET.NL WWW.CRIJNS.INFO CLOCKS, WATCHES, BAROMETERS, INSTRUMENTATION
GALERIE TINY ESVELD FRILINGLEI 9 B-2930 BRASSCHAAT, BELGIUM +32(0)3-3125190 INFO@TINYESVELD.COM WWW.TINYESVELD.COM ART NOUVEAU, ART DECO, GLASS FURNITURE
VAN KRANENDONK DUFFELS LONDON +44 7595 245819 MILAN +39 335 6262252 VANKRANENDONKDUFFELS@GMAIL.COM WWW.VKDJEWELS.CO.UK JEWELLERY
LIMBURG GLEN PROSEN LODGE KIRRIEMUIR DD8 4SD GLEN PROSEN, SCOTLAND +44(0)1575-540207 ANTIQUES@KOOS-LIMBURG-JNR.COM GENERAL ANTIQUARIAN
HONORARY MEMBERS: MRS A. WAFELMAN-MORPURGO MR A.C. BEELING
KOLLENBURG ANTIQUAIRS POSTBUS 171 5688 ZK OIRSCHOT +31 (0)499-578037 INFO@KOLLENBURGANTIQUAIRS.COM WWW.KOLLENBURGANTIQUAIRS.COM GENERAL ANTIQUARIAN
VANDERVEN ORIENTAL ART NACHTEGAALSLAANTJE 1 5211 LE ’S-HERTOGENBOSCH +31 (0)73-6146251 INFO@VANDERVEN.COM WWW.VANDERVEN.COM ASIAN ART
FLORIS VAN WANROIJ FINE ART BERGSTRAAT 52 5551 AX DOMMELEN +31 (0)40-2040596 INFO@FLORIS-ART.COM WWW.FLORIS-ART.COM OLD MASTERS, MEDIEVAL AND RENAISSANCE ART
LIMBURG JAN ROELOFS ANTIQUAIRS & CONTEMPORARY ARTS
MOLENSTRAAT 22 4031 JS INGEN +31 (0)344-603606 INFO@MENTINKENROEST.COM WWW.MENTINKENROEST.COM CLOCKS, WATCHES, BAROMETERS
BATTERIJSTRAAT 21C 6211 SE MAASTRICHT +32(0)12-394534 INFO@JANROELOFSANTIQUAIRS.COM WWW.JANROELOFSANTIQUAIRS.COM GENERAL ANTIQUARIAN
PETER VAN OS ANTIQUES & FINE ART
FOREIGN MEMBERS
KASTANJELAAN 38 6828 GM ARNHEM +31 (0)6-53106541 ANTIQUES@PETERVANOS.COM WWW.PETERVANOS.COM GENERAL ANTIQUARIAN
BLUE.ART.3@HOTMAIL.COM ASIAN ART, ARCHEOLOGY
BLUE ELEPHANT ORIENTAL ART (PART OF BLUE ART) OUDE JEKERWEG 10 B-3770 KANNE (RIEMST), BELGIUM +41(0)78-8839887
SEE MORE AT WWW.KVHOK.NL/LEDEN
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A N T IQU E OF T H E F U T U R E
According to Paul van Rosmalen of the Amsterdam Borzo Gallery, the Dutch artist Constant (1920-2005) is one of the most important figures in Dutch post-war art history. Rosmalen says that Constant – whose full name was Constant Anton Nieuwenhuys – is important not only because he was one of the founders of the Cobra movement, but also because of his influence as an artist, thinker and visionary in the years after Cobra during his ‘New Babylon’ period.
3D UTOPIA aul van Rosmalen: “All important artistic movements have produced iconic figures. Pop Art had Andy Warhol, Mondriaan is synonymous with De Stijl and the Cobra movement was nothing without Constant. Not only as one of its founders, but also as the movement’s leader: he had the vision and was also the one to write the movement’s ‘Manifesto’ in the first edition of Reflex, the magazine that he helped establish. This is where he wrote the phrase that to many encapsulates the essence of Cobra: “A painting is not a structure of colours and lines, but an animal, a night, a cry, a person, or all of those together.” After the Cobra period, Constant left for London where he saw the ravages of the war, but also how Londoners where energetically taking on the city’s reconstruction. He also met sculptors like Henry Moore and Barbara Hepworth.
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Artist Constant Object Infinite Line, 1959 Wire, Perspex and aluminium, 47 x 43 cm, signed and dated This period would strongly influence his artistic thinking.” “It’s telling that Constant went his own way in the early 1950s and started focusing more on architecture. During
this period, he met a number of famous architects, including Aldo van Eyck. He was also impressed by Homo ludens, a book by historian Johan Huizinga. This is how he developed his visionary idea that in the future all forms of work would be taken over by robots. The future of mankind was to be playful and homo ludens would live in a world
that Constant called New Babylon.” “Constant envisioned a world in which the land would be used for production, agriculture and transport; homo ludens would literally live above this level in what he called sectors. He continued working on New Babylon until the mid1970s, when, partly due to the war in Vietnam, he put an end to this utopian project. Constant translated his vision into a number of brilliant models and three-dimensional objects, such as ‘Infinite Line’ from 1959. After this period, he gave most of his New Babylon work to the Gemeentemuseum Den Haag, which makes the oeuvre quite rare, especially sculptures like this one. At Art Basel we sold an important New Babylon work to MoMA in New York. It comes as no surprise: experts know that this is an antique of the future.” TEXT
Mischa van de Woestijne IM AGE
Borzo Gallery
spring 2016
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