codart Courant 9/December 2004 codartCourant contents Published by Stichting codart P.O. Box 76709 2 A word from the director 9 codartactivities in 2005 nl-1070 ka Amsterdam 2 Erratum 9 codart achtcongress: Dutch and The Netherlands 3 News and notes from around the world Flemish art in Sweden, Haarlem, 6-8 [email protected] 3 Estonia, Tallinn, The Creation of Eve: March www.codart.nl notes about a painting and a related 10 Study trip to Stockholm, Drottning- print holm, Skokloster, Uppsala, Västerås and Managing editor: Rachel Esner 4 Germany, Berlin, Introducing the Strängnäs, 21-26 September e [email protected] Niederländisches Forum 17 The codartcurator’s bookshelf 4 Russia, Moscow, Pushkin State Museum 30 Appointments Editors: Wietske Donkersloot, of Fine Arts 30 codartmembership news Gary Schwartz 5 Sweden, Stockholm, Nationalmuseum 31 Membership directory t +31 (0)20 305 4515 7usa, Introducing the Association of Art 44 codartdates f +31 (0)20 305 4500 Museum Curators (aamc) 44 Preview of upcoming exhibitions and other e [email protected] events January-June 2005 codart board Henk van der Walle, chairman Wim Jacobs, controller of the Instituut Collectie Nederland, secretary- treasurer Rudi Ekkart, director of the Rijksbureau voor Kunsthistorische Documentatie Jan Houwert, chairman of the Board of Management of the Koninklijke Wegener N.V. Paul Huvenne, director of the Koninklijk Museum voor Schone Kunsten, Antwerp Jeltje van Nieuwenhoven, member of the Provincial Executive of Zuid-Holland codartis an international council for curators of Dutch and Flemish art. It supports inter-museum cooperation in the study and display of art from the Lowlands through a variety of means, including congresses, study trips, pub- lications and a website (www.codart.nl). The organization was founded and is aided by the Netherlands Institute for Cultural Heritage. It enjoys the generous support of the Netherlands Ministry of Education, Culture and Science and the Ministry of Welfare, Health and Culture of the Flemish Community. codartCourantappears twice a year. Contributions are welcome. codartCourant is designed by Haarlem Museum, Hals Frans Photo Typography Interiority & Other Serious Matters, The Hague Haarlem: location of the codart achtcongress, March 2005 (Gerrit Adriaensz. Berckheyde, Grote Markt with the St. Bavo church, 1696, Netherlands Institute for Cultural Heritage, on long term loan to the Frans Hals Museum, issn1388 9559 Haarlem). codart Courant 9/December 2004 2 A word from the year 2005 only. This was the result of a new congress in Haarlem in March and the study policy regarding the Arts Policy Document trip to Sweden in September. Increase your director (Cultuurnota) under which codartand enjoyment by signing up for them. You will hundreds of other cultural organizations are be sorry if you don’t. codart een, codart twee, codart subsidized. Van der Laan wishes to redefine the Gary Schwartz drie… codartmarches on, and so does criteria for participation in the Cultuurnota; she time. When the idea was launched in 1997, I has proclaimed the year 2005 a transitional was 57 years old, and lo and behold, in the period, during which new conditions will be Erratum twinkling of an eye, next June I’ll turn 65. In established for what she calls ‘supporting keeping with tradition, the board and I organizations,’ in contrast to ‘producing Due to a series of mishaps in the editing decided that would be the time for me to step organizations.’ On various fronts, we have process, some unfortunate errors were down as director. We also decided that I would objected to the way the rules for subsidy were introduced into the text of Joanna Tomicka, not leave codart. I will stay on, for two days changed after applications were submitted Dutch and Flemish prints in major Polish a week, in the function that most fits my and to the pigeonholing of codartunder collections, codartCourant 8 (June 2004), capacities and is the easiest to separate from ‘supporting organizations.’ pp. 19-23. A corrected version can be consulted general operations. That is the website, for This development does not necessarily on our website at: http://www.codart.nl/ which I will remain webmaster through 2007. mean that we will be cut off from Dutch Downloads/Courants/courant8.pdf In January 2005, the search for a new director government support after 31 December 2005. will be on. Suggestions and self-nominations Frankly, with our track record and all the good One section of the text that contained are welcome. These should be addressed will we have built up in the Ministries of substantial errors concerning delicate issues directly to the chairman of the board: Education, Culture and Science and of Foreign should read as follows: Henk van der Walle Affairs, I cannot imagine that coming to pass. Bisschopsstraat 16 In the coming months, van der Laan has said, In Kraków, after the First World War, the print 7513 akEnschede. she will issue new criteria, and we will be room of the Polish Academy of Arts and invited to submit a new proposal. If she sticks Sciences was created. In 1935, this institution In the next Courant I will be writing my last by this resolve, we will not have clarity about acquired the collections of the discontinued Word from the Director, in which I will acquit our post-2005 position until September of next Polish Library in Paris and the collection of the myself of the responsibility of looking back year. I am confident that should codartbe Moszyn´ski family, which was purchased by over the past years, a task which I am already removed from the Cultuurnota, new the state. The Polish Library in Paris was looking forward to with relish. possibilities for funding our activities will be founded in 1838 through the efforts of Polish My successor will not have it easier than I made available. We will keep you informed. émigrés, who intended it to be returned to have the last few years. In Courant 8, published In the meanwhile, the board and I have also Poland when the country was liberated. The last June, I reported with satisfaction that the agreed to put into effect an old wish of mine, Academy of Arts and Sciences in Kraków (the Arts Council had attached a resoundingly namely a leave of absence in order to write a use of the words ‘Polish’ or ‘National’ was positive recommendation to codart’s book on Rembrandt for the 400th anniversary forbidden by the foreign authorities at that application for government subsidy for the of the master’s birth in 2006. The leave has two time [1872-1918]) was the leading national years 2005-2008. Unfortunately, the State components. From May 2004 on, I have been scientific institution protecting culture and Secretary of Culture, Medy van der Laan, while given one free day a week for the project. For education during the last period of the loss of not contesting the evaluation, nonetheless the months October, November and independence. decided to limit the term of the subsidy to the December, I will be off duty altogether, At present, the collection of the Academy performing only incidental tasks for comprises over 80,000 prints, making it one of codart. The slack has been picked up by two the largest collections of European graphics in temporary members of the codartteam, Poland. In 1953, three groups of works were with whom you might have had contact. Eelke united to form the collection of the print room Boswijk took on the organization of the of the academy in Kraków: that of the codart achtcongress and Kate Gatacre is Moszyn´ski family, the Polish Library in Paris, filling in for editorial and day-to-day tasks at and subsequent acquisitions, including prints the office. However, the real reason you have from German museums, which, as a result of not noticed until now that I am gone is that the war, were located on Polish territory. Prints codartis blessed with two dedicated by Dutch masters are the most numerous and associates, Wietske Donkersloot and Navany occupy a prominent place, constituting nearly Almazan, who have kept things running 40% of all the holdings. The most valuable smoothly. masterpieces are 83 engravings and one From behind my Rembrandt workstation, etching by Lucas van Leyden, and over 100 I wish you a good holiday season and a etchings by Rembrandt, although not all of fulfilling new year. As for codartin 2005, I these impressions are of the best quality. This can assure you it will be another banner year, collection provides a complete picture of the as you can see on page 8 and further. Also, take development and accomplishments of Dutch Photo Thea Vignau-Wilberg Thea Photo a look at the website and enjoy imagining our and Flemish graphics, presenting, in addition 3 codart Courant 9/December 2004 to well-known works, exceptionally rare (89.5 x 69.7 cm, inv. nr. ekmm1333) may In relation to Jacopo della Quercia’s Sienese pieces, such as a series of playing cards originate from a series depicting the creation stone relief of the Creation of Eve (1430-35) attributed to Balthazar van den Bos and a color of the world and might perhaps have once Charles Seymour Jr. has written: ‘As Eve is print by Johannes Teyler (1648-1709). decorated a church (balcony), together with drawn up to a standing position by the Losses of prints caused by the Second World other biblical scenes. The painting was powerful grasp of the hand of her Creator, she War were most severe and cannot be fully restored in 1963 by specialists from Moscow, looks askance at her own hand, by which, as a estimated, partly because some inventory and in 1999 by Yelena Kukina (ame).