Kröller-Müller Museum

History

The Kröller-Müller Museum was founded by Helene Kröller-Müller, an avid art collector who, being advised by H.P. Bremmer, was one of the first to recognize Vincent van Gogh's genius and collect his works. In 1935, she donated her whole collection to the state of the Netherlands. In 1938, the museum, which was designed by Henry van de Velde, opened to the public. The sculpture garden was added in 1961 and the new exhibition wing, designed by Wim Quist, opened in 1977.

Collection

The museum has a considerable collection of paintings by Vincent van Gogh, such as Café Terrace at Night, and Sorrowing Old Man (At Eternity's Gate). Making it the second-largest collection of Van Gogh paintings in the world (after the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam). Apart from the Van Gogh paintings, other highlights include works by Piet Mondrian, Georges-Pierre Seurat, Odilon Redon, Georges Braque, Paul Gauguin, Lucas Cranach, James Ensor, Juan Gris, William Degouve de Nuncques and Pablo Picasso.

Sculpture garden

The Kröller-Müller Museum is also famous for its large sculpture garden, within the forest park, of more than 75 acre and one of the largest in Europe, with a fine collection of modern and contemporary sculptures. The garden reflects Helene Kröller-Müller's conception of a symbiosis between art, architecture and nature. The collection includes works by Auguste Rodin, Henry Moore, Jean Dubuffet, Mark di Suvero, Lucio Fontana, Claes Oldenburg and Coosje van Bruggen, Fritz Wotruba, Joep van Lieshout and many more.

Selected collection highlights

|File:Vincent van Gogh (1853-1890) Caféterras bij nacht (place du Forum) Kröller-Müller Museum Otterlo 23-8-2016 13-35-40.JPG|Vincent van Gogh, Café Terrace at Night, 1888 |File:Vincent van Gogh - Road with Cypress and Star - c. 12-15 May 1890.jpg|Vincent van Gogh, Country Road in Provence by Night, 1890 |File:Georges Seurat, 1889-90, Le Chahut, oil on canvas, 170 x 141 cm, Kröller-Müller Museum.jpeg|Georges Seurat, Le Chahut (Can Can), 1889–90 |File:Jean Metzinger, 1906, La dance (Bacchante), oil on canvas, 73 x 54 cm DSC05359...jpg|Jean Metzinger, La danse (Bacchante), c. 1906 |File:Odilon Redon - The Cyclops, c. 1914.jpg|Odilon Redon, The Cyclops, c. 1914 |File:Juan Gris, 1914, Le Compotier (The Fruit Bowl), chalk and oil on canvas, 92 x 65 cm, Kröller-Müller Museum, Otterlo, Netherlands.jpg|Juan Gris, Le Compotier (The Fruit Bowl), 1914 |File:Pablo Picasso, 1911-12, Violon (Violin), oil on canvas, Kröller-Müller Museum, Otterlo, Netherlands.jpg|Pablo Picasso, Violon (Violin), 1911–12 |File:Joseph Csaky, Deux figures, 1920, relief, limestone, polychrome, 80 cm, Kröller-Müller Museum, Otterlo, Holland.jpg|Joseph Csaky, Deux figures, 1920 |File:Joseph Csaky, 1920, Tête (Head), marble, 28 cm, photograph by Léonce Rosenberg, Kröller-Müller Museum.jpg|Joseph Csaky, Tête (Head), 1920

Administration

Lisette Pelsers was the museum director of the Kröller-Müller Museum from 2012 to 2024. She was succeeded by Benno Tempel.

The museum had an increasing number of visitors until the COVID-19 pandemic, when it took a severe plunge due to closures and reduced tourism activities overall. Visitor numbers have largely recovered since, but have yet to reach pre-pandemic levels.

The museum was the 12th most visited museum nationally in 2013.

References

References

1. Johannes van der Wolk, "[http://www.biografischwoordenboekgelderland.nl/bio/1_Helene_Emma_Laura_Juliane_Kroller-Muller Helene Emma Laura Juliane Kröller-Müller]" {{in lang. nl, ''Biografisch Woordenboek Gelderland'', 1998. Retrieved 27 September 2013.
2. [http://www.kmm.nl/page/11/Addressdirections Address/directions], Kröller-Müller Museum. Retrieved 27 September 2013.
3. "Bezoekcijfers 2023: 275.000 bezoekers, ruim 560.000 bezoekers in het buitenland". Kröller-Müller Museum.
4. link. (2 October 2013 , Kröller-Müller Museum. Retrieved 27 September 2013.)
5. Beukhof, H., Essen, F. van, Pelzers, E., Sevink, J. (2005) ''Nature and Art, The Hoge Veluwe'', Waanders Uitgeverij, Zwolle.
6. [http://www.kmm.nl/object/KM%20109.982/The-potato-eaters The potato eaters] {{webarchive. link. (4 April 2013 , Kröller-Müller Museum. Retrieved 24 August 2013.)
7. [http://www.kmm.nl/object/KM%20108.565/Terrace-of-a-caf%C3%A9-at-night-Place-du-Forum Terrace of a café at night (Place du Forum)] {{webarchive. link. (27 August 2012 , Kröller-Müller Museum. Retrieved 23 August 2013.)
8. (February 2020)
9. Daan van Lent & Pieter van Os, "[http://www.nrc.nl/nieuws/2013/12/27/musea-doen-het-goed-aantal-bezoekers-in-2013-fors-gestegen/ Musea doen het goed: aantal bezoekers in 2013 fors gestegen]" (in Dutch), ''[[NRC Handelsblad]]'', 2013. Retrieved 3 August 2014.
10. "[http://www.destentor.nl/regio/apeldoorn/hoenderloo/380-000-bezoekers-voor-kr%C3%B6ller-m%C3%BCller-in-2015-1.5589439 380.000 bezoekers voor Kröller-Müller in 2015]. {{webarchive. link. (4 March 2016 " {{in lang). nl, ''[[De Stentor]]'', 2016. Retrieved 15 January 2016.
11. (2020-12-15). "Visitor figures Kröller-Müller Museum 2020".
12. (2023-03-28). "Annual review 2022 (Dutch only)".
13. (2024-03-28). "Annual review 2023 (Dutch only)".
14. Birgit Donker, "[http://www.nrc.nl/nieuws/2011/12/12/lisette-pelsers-nieuwe-directeur-kroller-muller-museum-a1449704 Lisette Pelsers nieuwe directeur Kröller-Müller Museum]" (in Dutch), ''[[NRC Handelsblad]]'', 2011. Retrieved 29 July 2016.
15. (2024-03-28). "Annual review 2023 (Dutch only)".
16. Daan van Lent & Pieter van Os, "[http://www.nrc.nl/nieuws/2013/12/27/musea-doen-het-goed-aantal-bezoekers-in-2013-fors-gestegen/ Musea doen het goed: aantal bezoekers in 2013 fors gestegen]" (in Dutch), ''[[NRC Handelsblad]]'', 2013. Retrieved 28 June 2014.