Helene Kröller-Müller
Encyclopedia
Helene Kröller-Müller was one of the first European women to put together a major art collection.
She was born Helene Emma Laura Juliane Müller at Essen-Horst, Germany
, into a wealthy industrialist family. She married a Dutch
man named Anton Kröller in 1888 and used both surnames in accordance with Dutch tradition.
She studied under Henk Bremmer
in 1906-1907. As she was one of the wealthiest women in the Netherlands at the time, Bremmer recommended that she form an art collection. In 1907, she began her collection with the painting Train in a Landscape by Paul Gabriël
. Subsequently, Helene Kröller-Müller became an avid art collector
, and one of the first people to recognise the genius of Vincent van Gogh
. She also collected works by other modern artists.
In 1935, she donated to the Dutch people her entire collection totaling approximately 12,000 objects. Held in the care of the Dutch government, the Kröller-Müller Museum
was opened in 1938 near the town of Otterlo
in the Netherlands
. Due to the threat of war, plans for a lavish museum were never implemented, but once the war was over it was possible to construct the relatively understated but well-lit modern exhibition extension, opened in 1977, that now houses much of the collection.
She was born Helene Emma Laura Juliane Müller at Essen-Horst, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, into a wealthy industrialist family. She married a Dutch
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
man named Anton Kröller in 1888 and used both surnames in accordance with Dutch tradition.
She studied under Henk Bremmer
Henk Bremmer
Hendricus Peter Bremmer was a Dutch painter, art critic, art teacher, collector and art dealer. He was the father of the painter Rudolph Bremmer ....
in 1906-1907. As she was one of the wealthiest women in the Netherlands at the time, Bremmer recommended that she form an art collection. In 1907, she began her collection with the painting Train in a Landscape by Paul Gabriël
Paul Gabriël
Paul Joseph Constantin Gabriël was a painter, draftsman, watercolorist, and etcher who belonged to the Hague School....
. Subsequently, Helene Kröller-Müller became an avid art collector
Art
Art is the product or process of deliberately arranging items in a way that influences and affects one or more of the senses, emotions, and intellect....
, and one of the first people to recognise the genius of Vincent van Gogh
Vincent van Gogh
Vincent Willem van Gogh , and used Brabant dialect in his writing; it is therefore likely that he himself pronounced his name with a Brabant accent: , with a voiced V and palatalized G and gh. In France, where much of his work was produced, it is...
. She also collected works by other modern artists.
In 1935, she donated to the Dutch people her entire collection totaling approximately 12,000 objects. Held in the care of the Dutch government, the Kröller-Müller Museum
Kröller-Müller Museum
The Kröller-Müller Museum is an art museum and sculpture garden, located in the Hoge Veluwe National Park in Otterlo in the Netherlands.-Museum:...
was opened in 1938 near the town of Otterlo
Otterlo
Otterlo is a small village in the province of Gelderland in the Netherlands, in or near the Nationaal Park De Hoge Veluwe....
in the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
. Due to the threat of war, plans for a lavish museum were never implemented, but once the war was over it was possible to construct the relatively understated but well-lit modern exhibition extension, opened in 1977, that now houses much of the collection.
Further reading
- Kröller-Müller State Museum, Otterlo. Netherlands: Kröller-Müller State Museum, 1973.