Museum Henriette Polak | Musea Zutphen

Location

Zutphen (NL)

Genre

Exhibition

Tags

Art
Sculpture
Figurative Art
Contemporary
Classic

Founded in 1975, Museum Henriette Polak is a Dutch museum for modern classical painting and sculpture. In 1964, founder and namesake Henriette Polak-Schwarz befriended artist Joop Sjollema, who convinced her of the necessity of founding a museum for Dutch figurative art rooted in the academic tradition. This initiative was contrary to the prevailing spirit of the times, as the interest of the museums was mostly focused on abstract and conceptual art at the time. Ever since its opening in 1975, Museum Henriette Polak has shown the vitality, power, and diversity of figurative art, where craftsmanship and inspiration meet.

Museum Henriette Polak will create a small presentation, Ode to Constant – and Free Thinking.

Musea Zutphen, foto Jolanda van Velzen
Musea Zutphen, foto Jolanda van Velzen
Photo’s: Jolanda van Velzen

The collection contains works by Kees Verwey, Charlotte van Pallandt, Piet Esser, Wim Oepts, Jeanne Bieruma Oosting, Arie Schippers, Wendelien Schönfeld and Constant, amongst others. In addition to the permanent collection, Museum Henriëtte Polak presents the work and the development of (contemporary) artists, always seeking the confrontation with the principles of the founders of the museum.

Portrait de Mathilde V, 1985
Portrait de Mathilde V, 1985
Stilleven met wekker en schoenen, 1946
Stilleven met wekker en schoenen, 1946

Constant

Most people know Constant as co-founder of Cobra and his visionary New Babylon. There were no limits to his artistic exploration and expression. From the start of his career, Constant painted and kept looking at the world – eyes and mind wide open – as a painter. His work was collected at an early stage and also later on. Their vision on art was – based on visible reality – above all open minded and without preconceptions. Also, they share, in a very personal way, a humanistic view of life. Constant was one of them.

Paysage, 1985
Paysage, 1985
De brand [I], 1987
De brand [I], 1987