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DE BEYERD COLLECTION, SOLD TO BENEFIT THE ACQUISITION FUND OF THE GRAPHIC DESIGN MUSEUM The historic De Beyerd in Breda, which originally served as an old men's home, was converted into a cultural centre in 1956. Many centres of this kind were opening in The Netherlands around that time, particularly in medium-sized towns in the provinces. They provided a venue for theatre and cabaret performances, films and exhibitions, and cultural activities of any kind. The first director of De Beyerd, Theo van Velzen, became head of the ministry's arts department ten years later and ended his career as director of the Gemeentemuseum in The Hague. Van Velzen and his successors built up a modest art collection in the 1960's and 1970's from the meagre budget available for that purpose. Their laudable intention was to lay the foundations for a much longed for museum. But events took an unexpected turn. The function of the cultural centre changed in line with the trends of the day. Films found their way to commercial cinemas and art film houses, and theatre productions moved on to the municipal theatre, which had gained more prestige in the intervening years. In 1981, De Beyerd decided to focus on art and design, and operate as an exhibition centre. However, it had neither the status nor the function of a museum. By that time, De Beyerd Collection comprised about 600 works, the majority by Dutch artists. And as an exhibition centre - which served its purpose admirably for very many years - De Beyerd was guaranteed a dormant existence. A few years ago, the city of Breda decided to transform De Beyerd from a visual arts centre into a national museum of graphic design. These plans are now well under way. With generous financial support from the city of Breda, a contribution from the province of North Brabant and funding from central government, the building is undergoing a major renovation under the supervision of architect Hans Heeswijk. The new Graphic Design Museum is expected to open its doors to the public in 2005. The new museum will no longer house De Beyerd Collection which, as a result, is now up for sale. This is an exceptional opportunity for both private collectors and museums to acquire unique works of art from the 1960s and 1970s. It is also an excellent opportunity for the new Graphic Design Museum, as the proceeds will go towards the acquisitions budget for the collection of graphic design. Frank Tiesing Director, De Beyerd

Theo Wolvecamp (1925-1992)

La vie en rose

Details

Theo Wolvecamp (1925-1992)
La vie en rose
signed 'Wolvecamp' (lower right), and signed again, dated and inscribed with title '66' (on the reverse)
oil on canvas
85 x 70 cm.

Provenance

Galerie Krikhaar, Amsterdam, where acquired by De Beyerd.

Literature

Ed Wingen, Wolvecamp, Venlo 1990, p. 131 (ill.)

Special notice

Christie's charges a Buyer's premium calculated at 23.205% of the hammer price for each lot with a value up to €110,000. If the hammer price of a lot exceeds €110,000 then the premium for the lot is calculated at 23.205% of the first €110,000 plus 11.9% of any amount in excess of €110,000. Buyer's Premium is calculated on this basis for each lot individually.

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