Otterlo, Kröller Müller Museum – The Painting Galleries inside
Within the National Park Hoge Veluwe, Kröller-Müller nature park and former hunting grounds
To the left Mata Hari, arrested and executed as a spy. To the right: Eve by Baldung Grien, one of the best in the world.
Join me in a private guided tour of paintings in the Kröller Müller museum. This museum has re-opend. Please book a time slot ticket for yourself and a free one for the guide. Please note: YOU should drive a private car from Amsterdam for I have no taxi permit.
The large Van Gogh Collection exhibited here is probably the second best in the world, after the main one in Amsterdam. Outside is the sculpture garden within the famous National wildlife Park ‘Hoge Veluwe’, Holland: Arguably it may be the best sculpture garden in Western Europe, or in the world, for a good hour walk.
According to professor Carel Blotkamp, my university teacher, it also housed the world’s best collection of Pointillist / Divisionist paintings.
What was the birth of this quirky collection? The first major, successful, visionary collector of Van Gogh paintings was Helene Kröller-Müller, born 1869, who married the wealthy industrialist, mr. Kröller and thus, by Dutch family naming custom, was named ms. Kröller-Müller.
This book on Van Gogh shows his travels and houses. I wrote it a while ago.
As the married couple were incredibly wealthy, they bought a vast wildlife hunting area and built themselves a luxurious villa-cum-hunting lodge and also made detailed plans for a major museum on their property in order to house the modern art collection amassed by Helene.
With almost unlimited funds, an impeccable taste – and the private art teacher mr Bremmer (see below) as the main art advisor next to her, she had started to buy works by Juan Gris, Piet Mondrian and many other names of artists now internationally famous. Those works of art were still somewhat affordable in those days.
Then the economic crash came and their business capital evaporated. When the idea started of donating the collection to the State as a specific museum, Ms Kröller-Müller decided to buy more widely to show a variety of art movements. After her death the series of museum directors continued with interesting purchase policies. The result is astounding.
The Dutch state took over the land and the art collections and paid for the construction of the museum to house the grand collection, and opened up the museum and wildlife park to the public as a celebration of the interplay between Nature & Art.
Bart van der Leck, Fishermen’s wives. Here he invented the Red-Blue-Yellow code of the De Stijl movement
Bart van der Leck, in Kroller-Moller museum, Otterlo. A picture of two fishermen’s wives at the foot of the yellow dunes looking at a boat caught in a storm on a wild North Sea. Amazingly, this painter made a huge leap and invented painting a scene with the primary colours red-yellow-blue. His colleague Mondrian followed suit. Both are part of De Stijl movement, which now celebrates 100 years of De Stijl magazine.
Subsequent directors added new wings and designed a vast sculpture park which is almost unequaled in the world.
Tour by professional Art History scholar with excellent teaching skills. Specialist in Fine art and Design, Architecture and History. VIP entry.
Drs Kees Kaldenbach: „…he is wildly overqualified to be a guide . That is his secret… Trust me on this.” Gabe. Statement made February, 2017.
Larger images are available on this old school site.
‘Berceuse’, or the woman who cradles, by Van Gogh.
Fine Sculpture shown inside, because of preservation.
Business card. The logo refers to Vermeer.
IMPORTANT: Required: for transport your own private car or rental car is necessary! By Dutch law, I am not allowed to drive your car or my car to get there. However, I can navigate and assist you!
Tour by professional Art History Scholar with excellent teaching skills. Specialist in Art Specialist in Van Gogh, Impressionism. Best entry between 10-13hrs.