Thursday 3 July 2014

The Stedelijk Museum in Amsterdam and its Suprematist collection

 
 
 
The Stedelijk Museum in Amsterdam is at the cutting edge, home to what is acknowledged as one of the world's most importat collections of modern and contemporary art in the world. It's situated in the Museumplein, next to the Van Gogh Museum and the Rijksmuseum. The Concertgebouw shares this space too,  making this plazza a cultural powerhouse.
 
 

 
 
 
Founded in 1874, the Stedelijk now has a new wing
 
 
 
 
 
called the 'bath tub' by Amsterdammers.
 
 
 

 
 
The grassy slope by the front of the entrance to the new wing is used as a chill-out space when the weather is good
 

 
 
 

 
A perfect marriage of old and new
 
 
 
 
 
I was not able to find out anything about the sculpture outside the museum



 

 
The new wing is where the entrance to the museum is and is home to the shop, sitting areas and a small exhibition space

 
 
 
 
 

connecting the old and the new





the shop which is excellent









 
 
 
 


it's a beautiful space




 
The old 19th century building has been given a modern treatment 
 




but some of the old features remain having been sensitively 'modernised'.




The Stedelijk can boast one of the most comprehensive collections of work by Russian Suprematist Kazimir Malerich held in one place, starting with his first attempts at Cubism and leading to the dynamism and bold, primary tones of his supremacist paintings.

Malevich's work was influenced by Russian folk art as well as modern trends from Paris, until he created his first abstract geometric paintings in 1915. This was a courageous act in Russia where academic, figurative art was the norm. Under Soviet rule in the late 1920s Malevich was forced to reintroduce figuration to his work. His reputation as one of the pioneers of abstract art is now well established.





Lamp/Musical Instruments, 1913, (oil on canvas)





Taking in the Rye, 1912, (oil on canvas)






The Guardsman, 1913-14, (oil on canvas)




 
Hieratic Suprematist Cross (large cross in black over red on white), 10921-21, (oil on canvas)
 
 
 
 

 Suprematist Composition (with blue triangle and black rectangle), 1915, (oil on canvas)
 

 
 
 
 

Suprematist Composition (with yellow, orange and green rectangle), 1915-16, (oil on canvas)



Younger artists, some of whom were already established found inspiration in Suprematism for some time:




Natalia Goncharova, Rayonist Sea, 1913, (paint on canvas)





Olga Rozanova, Cityscape: Roofs, 1912, (oil on canvas)

 

 

2 comments:

  1. The sculpture outside the museum looks very like a Richard Serra.

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    1. Thanks Olga. I'm sure you're right. Serra had sort of slipped out of my consciousness which is very odd given that I saw two of his paintings in the museum.

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