Blog

The estate of Dirk Breed (1920-2004), painter of the lowlands

Posted on 18 February 2020

The following introduction to the work of Dirk Breed was written by Wim van Schaik in 1995 on the 75th anniversary of this well-known West Frisian artist. Wim van Schaik (1924-2017) and his wife Hella admired and collected the work of Dirk Breed. After the death of Dirk's wife Lia Breed in 2017, Wim and Hella were endowed with works of art from the house and studio of the artist couple. It is this collection that is now - 100 years after the birth of Dirk Breed – on show in a sales exhibition at Kunstconsult’s gallery.

Read more

High Society: Willy Sluiter paints mundane life in the Alps

Posted on 28 January 2020

Sankt Moritz, 1920s. Wealthy snow tourists from all over Europe settle down to enjoy the healthy mountain air during the winter months. The Great War is over and the good life is fully celebrated in the sophisticated Swiss village. There is dancing, sports and intense enjoyment. Sankt Moritz is bustling and Willy Sluiter (1873-1949) is there to record it.

Read more

100 years after the Roaring Twenties: 5 favorite Art Deco items

Posted on 24 January 2020

The term Roaring Twenties originates from the United States, where the economic boom after the First World War lasted for a decade, until the bubble burst in October 1929. Visually we know the turbulent 1920s as the era of the luxury lifestyle, with an elite that exuberantly dances, parties and travels. And with women who shed their corset and demonstrated their freedom and independence with short hairstyles and challenging clothing - or a boyish style.

Read more

Modern design around 1900: Clocks from Berlage to Stoffels

Posted on 4 September 2019

Around 1900, the innovations in design and architecture take flight. It is the Art Nouveau era. In the Netherlands, under the influence of the ideas of architect and designer Hendrik Peter Berlage, a sober and rationalistic variant arises: ‘de Nieuwe Kunst’ (the New Art). In this article we zoom in on the design of metal clocks from the ‘Nieuwe Kunst’ period. The most important designers of these clocks were Berlage, Jan Eisenloeffel and Cornelis Stoffels. Around the turn of the century, all three of them were affiliated with the Amstelhoek firm in a different capacity. Berlage as co-founder of ‘t Binnenhuis, which sold objects from Amstelhoek, Eisenloeffel as artistic director of the metal workshop and Stoffels as a gifted artisan who mastered many techniques. It is therefore not surprising that there are similarities between the designs of these three artists. Yet each of these ‘Nieuwe Kunst’ designers also has its own style characteristics.

Read more

Spotlights on Marie Kuyken, The 'RHYTME' of fishes in the water

Posted on 19 July 2019

Kunstconsult examined a special new addition in its collection: a cloisonné panel designed by designer and decorative artist Marie Kuyken (1898-1988). The panel, dating from 1918, shows a beautiful representation of three colourful fishes and is set in a frame with inserted decoration in a matching fish motif. In consultation with design historian Marjan Groot, museum curator Jan de Bruijn and Marie’s second cousin Thierry Kuyken, Kunstconsult examined the special panel, a unique object in the art trade.

Read more

Interior art by Hildo Krop

Posted on 9 July 2019

The Amsterdam city sculptor Hildo Krop is seen as one of the most versatile artists of the Amsterdam School. No wonder that Wendingen, the monthly magazine published by architect society Architectura et Amicitia from 1918 to 1931 as the mouthpiece of this movement, showed work by Krop on several occasions. In 1925 a whole issue was even devoted to sculptures by Krop, for which he designed the cover himself. But in addition to a sculptor, Krop was also a decorative and graphic artist. For example, several of his woodcuts were included in the woodcutter issue of 1919. His interior art can be seen in Wendingen as well, with a beautiful mahogany wall panel as the highlight. This wall panel is now part of the Kunstconsult collection.

Read more

A restorer’s blog: Pre-war crate desk by Rietveld

Posted on 26 June 2019

What was so innovative about the ‘crate furniture’ by Gerrit Rietveld (1888-1964)? What was the reaction at the time? How does a specialized restorer look at such a desk today and how do you recognize an early, authentic piece of furniture? Let's have a closer look at Rietveld’s crate furniture and his crate desk in particular.

Read more

Sculptor Hendrik van den Eijnde rediscovered

Posted on 18 June 2019

“Who has memories of sculptor Hendrik van den Eijnde or knows where any of his work is still to be found?’ With calls in heritage publications and regional media, the historical associations of Haarlem and Heemstede searched for particularities for an exhibition about their famous fellow citizen, who was born 150 years ago. They were surprised and enthusiastic when Kunstconsult responded: “We have the original plaster model of the pelican.” “The pelican?!” “Yes! The pelican!”

Read more

Seen in Wendingen

Posted on 31 May 2019

The unconventional typography and covers designed by various artists made Wendingen one of the most innovative magazines in the Netherlands. Edited by architect Hendrik Wijdeveld, no less than 116 magazines were published between 1918 and 1932. Every edition formed an artistic unity of architectural knowledge and related artistic expressions. Many editions were dedicated to contemporary Dutch architecture and developments within the field of applied arts. In this blog, editions of the famous ‘monthly magazine for building and decorating’ are combined with matching objects from the Kunstconsult collection.

Read more

Loose from the Glass Factory: Free glass in the Netherlands – part 2

Posted on 22 May 2019

After a career of almost sixty years, Andries Dirk Copier said goodbye to the Glasfabriek. For him, his retirement brought the freedom he needed to reinvent himself as an autonomous glass artist. With this he released himself from the demands of the glass industry, just like Sybren Valkema and Willem Heesen, the representatives of ‘free glass’ in the Netherlands.

Read more

Copier and the younger generation: Free glass in the Netherlands – part 1

Posted on 15 May 2019

When you look at the work of Copier and that of his colleagues and successors, you see no rivalry or opposition between the different generations, but rather mutual exchange, stimulation and a shared effort to bring glass art to a higher level. Copier was not just a pioneer for the next generation, but he actively used his enormous talent and experience to help young glass artists.

Read more

‘Standing girl’: key piece in the oeuvre of Eja Siepman van den Berg

Posted on 11 April 2019

‘Standing girl’ is the key piece in Eja Siepman van den Berg's career. With this important sculpture, now in the collection of Kunstconsult, Siepman set the tone for the rest of her oeuvre. Sculpture gallery Het Depot recently devoted much attention to this work in the magazine ‘Fragment’ and gave the depicted girl a name: Marjolein van Raalte. In Wageningen, Het Depot shows a large collection of sculptures by this exceptional artist in a permanent exhibition.

Read more

An art dealer's blog: Off the map

Posted on 22 March 2019

As an art dealer you come to the most extraordinary places. One moment you are negotiating a deal with old chic in their kitchen – you are definitely not allowed in the living room! – and the next moment you are helping an art collector move his most precious possessions, namely his carefully collected art treasures, to his new home. A while ago, an older couple asked me to move their collection. After much deliberation, they had decided to sell their beautiful, free-standing villa in enclave A. in municipality B.

Read more

Jaap Gidding: Versatile decorative artist from Rotterdam

Posted on 14 March 2019

The Rotterdam-born artist Jaap Gidding (1887 - 1955) is best known for his design for the interior of the impressive foyer of Theater Tuschinski in Amsterdam. But as a decorative artist Gidding has produced a versatile oeuvre. He made paintings and designed ceramics and carpets. Restaurants, cafes and theatres were decorated with his paintings, mosaic, wallpaper and stained glass. But glassware also plays an important role in his repertoire.

Read more

Successful export product from 1900: The elegant eggshell porcelain of Rozenburg

Posted on 22 February 2019

In the exhibition ‘Made in Holland: 400 years a global brand’ Keramiekmuseum Princessehof presents the elegant Rozenburg eggshell porcelain as one of the Dutch success stories in the field of ceramics. This exclusive Dutch Art Nouveau porcelain with foreign influences was not only popular in its home country, but also became a beloved luxury object for the wealthy collector abroad.

Read more

In the spirit of Bauhaus

Posted on 14 February 2019

In 1919, architect Walter Gropius founded the Bauhaus, the most influential institute for design in history. This year the 100th anniversary of the Bauhaus is celebrated extensively in Germany. Even in the Netherlands, the centenary will not go unnoticed. Inspired by the Bauhaus jubilee, the Kunstconsult team selected six objects from the sales collection. Each of them is related to the Bauhaus.

Read more

Bauhaus: A network of pioneers

Posted on 5 February 2019

Bauhaus expert Mienke Simon Thomas is looking forward to the 9th of February 2019. Then, a museum masterpiece to which years of research preceded will open. With an innovative exhibition concept, Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen makes the inspiring relationship between the German Bauhaus and Dutch artists tangible. Full of fire the curator tells us about the exhibition where she put her heart and soul into.

Read more

Viennese influence on Belgian design - Silver by Philippe Wolfers

Posted on 29 January 2019

That the masterpiece of the Wiener Werkstätte is not in Vienna but in Brussels, is the result of a twist of fate. Truly everything on and in the Stoclet Palace, constructed between 1905 and 1911, was designed by the artists of the famous Viennese production house. Is it then also a coincidence that at the same time the whiplash of Belgian interior art disappeared?

Read more

An art dealer's blog: Not everything is for sale

Posted on 16 January 2019

“Don’t you find it hard to let go of a beautiful piece of art?” I am often asked by customers. An art dealer cannot afford to keep every beautiful artwork himself. Living on bread and water in a museum, not an attractive prospect.

Read more

Successful Glass School experiment: Copier, Valkema and the unknown pupil

Posted on 15 January 2019

On the occasion of our sales exhibition ‘Gestolde Dromen IX’ last summer, Lauren Geurtz, grandson of glass artist A.D. Copier and co-author of the books ‘Copier Compleet’ and ‘Glasschool Leerdam’, gave a lecture at Kunstconsult. Afterwards, we took him backstage to take a look at a remarkable lamp, which by its style was clearly recognizable as a product of Glass Factory Leerdam. The next morning, we found a set of design drawings in our mailbox.

Read more

Instagram