The beginning of a new world. The development of modern sculpture
The exhibition 'The beginning of a new world. The development of modern sculpture' shows the development of modern sculpture through the eyes of Bram Hammacher, director of the Kr枚ller-M眉ller Museum in Otterlo from 1948 to 1963. Immediately upon his appointment, Hammacher chooses a new direction: seeking to document the development of modern sculpture at an international level.
He succeeds in bringing together a collection of sculptures that is a fully-fledged counterpart to Helene Kr枚ller-M眉ller鈥檚 painting collection, thereby providing the museum a unique 鈥榩rofile鈥�. Certainly at that time, there were very few major museums with an emphasis on sculpture.
Over the years, Hammacher manages to acquire works for Otterlo by Auguste Rodin, Antoine Bourdelle and Raymond Duchamp-Villon; by Alexander Archipenko, Julio Gonzalez, Jacques Lipchitz and Ossip Zadkine; by Barbara Hepworth and Henry Moore. And by Constant Permeke, Jean Arp and Marino Marini. Hammacher also purchases non-Western sculptures, as he wants to show the sources of inspiration for modern sculpture and painting.
Hammacher鈥檚 ultimate dream is the creation of a sculpture garden. That dream is realized in 1961: the garden is opened to widespread international interest. The concept, a labyrinthine garden in which nature and sculpture are regarded as equal, is completely new and revolutionary at the time. As of that moment, the Kr枚ller-M眉ller became one of the most important international museums for modern sculpture.
The sculpture garden is Hammacher鈥檚 most famous achievement, but he also acquires many sculptures for 鈥榠ndoors鈥�, often in close correlation with the sculptures in the garden. With a large number of these sculptures, The beginning of a new world provides a richly varied picture of modern sculpture.
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The exhibition 'The beginning of a new world. The development of modern sculpture' shows the development of modern sculpture through the eyes of Bram Hammacher, director of the Kr枚ller-M眉ller Museum in Otterlo from 1948 to 1963. Immediately upon his appointment, Hammacher chooses a new direction: seeking to document the development of modern sculpture at an international level.
He succeeds in bringing together a collection of sculptures that is a fully-fledged counterpart to Helene Kr枚ller-M眉ller鈥檚 painting collection, thereby providing the museum a unique 鈥榩rofile鈥�. Certainly at that time, there were very few major museums with an emphasis on sculpture.
Over the years, Hammacher manages to acquire works for Otterlo by Auguste Rodin, Antoine Bourdelle and Raymond Duchamp-Villon; by Alexander Archipenko, Julio Gonzalez, Jacques Lipchitz and Ossip Zadkine; by Barbara Hepworth and Henry Moore. And by Constant Permeke, Jean Arp and Marino Marini. Hammacher also purchases non-Western sculptures, as he wants to show the sources of inspiration for modern sculpture and painting.
Hammacher鈥檚 ultimate dream is the creation of a sculpture garden. That dream is realized in 1961: the garden is opened to widespread international interest. The concept, a labyrinthine garden in which nature and sculpture are regarded as equal, is completely new and revolutionary at the time. As of that moment, the Kr枚ller-M眉ller became one of the most important international museums for modern sculpture.
The sculpture garden is Hammacher鈥檚 most famous achievement, but he also acquires many sculptures for 鈥榠ndoors鈥�, often in close correlation with the sculptures in the garden. With a large number of these sculptures, The beginning of a new world provides a richly varied picture of modern sculpture.
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