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Lot Essay
This superb jade horse was formerly in the collection of the famous Dutch industrialist and collector Hugo Tutein Nolthenius (1863-1944). Hugo Tutein Nolthenius was a chemist by training who went into industry and from 1898 to 1920 was Director of the Calvé-Delft fine oil factory in Delft. He was a man of many talents, who enjoyed driving cars, skating and, most significantly, had a passion for art. He was himself an amateur photographer, ceramicist and glass-painter, but was also a patron of the arts and one of the early 20th century's great Dutch collectors.
Hugo Tutein Nolthenius had grown up in a household which appreciated art, as it had been one of the interests of his banker father. In the early 1880s Hugo attended the Polytechnic School in Delft, and it is likely that he attended the classes given by the professor of decorative arts Adolf le Comte, who was an innovator in the field of ceramics. Later Hugo had his own kiln at his home and experimented with his nephew Harm Kamerlingh Onnes to produce ceramics influenced by those of Asia.
His interest in art even spilt over into his professional life, and in 1894 Tutein Nolthenius commissioned an advertising poster from the Javanese-Dutch artist Jan Toorop (1858-1928), which advertised 'Delftsche Slaolie' (Delft Salad Oil) for the NOF company. This lithograph, which was printed in a number of colour combinations, is one of the best-known examples of Dutch Art Nouveau. For his own home in Delft Hugo Tutein Nolthenius commissioned stained glass windows from Johan Thorn-Prikker (1868-1932), as well as portraits of himself and his sister and brother. In addition to the works of art he commissioned, Tutein Nolthenius also collected both Chinese works of art, such as the current jade horse, and paintings by Dutch artists, including Harm Kamerlingh Onnes (1893-1985), Isaac Isras (1865-1935) and some twelve paintings by Vincent van Gogh (1853-1890). Van Gogh's 1889 Self-Portrait, which is now in the National Gallery of Art in Washington, DC, was formerly in Tutein Nolthenius' collection. While he was able to follow his own well-informed tastes in his collecting, Tutein Nolthenius was also advised by Hendricus Petrus Bremmer (1871-1956) - artist, collector and one of the most important Dutch art critics of the early 20th century, some of whose classes in the Hague had been attended by Tutein Nolthenius' sister Julie. Bremmer considered the Tuten Nolthenius collection so important that in 1924-25 he gave a series of lectures based upon it.
Hugo Tutein Nolthenius was generous with his collection, and allowed items from it to go on public exhibition on a number of occasions. In 2008 an exhibition Hugo Tutein Nolthenius. Portret van een Delftsch kunstverzamelaar (Hugo Tutein Nolthenius. Portrait of a Delft art collector), was held in Delft to celebrate both the collector and his remarkable collection.
Hugo Tutein Nolthenius had grown up in a household which appreciated art, as it had been one of the interests of his banker father. In the early 1880s Hugo attended the Polytechnic School in Delft, and it is likely that he attended the classes given by the professor of decorative arts Adolf le Comte, who was an innovator in the field of ceramics. Later Hugo had his own kiln at his home and experimented with his nephew Harm Kamerlingh Onnes to produce ceramics influenced by those of Asia.
His interest in art even spilt over into his professional life, and in 1894 Tutein Nolthenius commissioned an advertising poster from the Javanese-Dutch artist Jan Toorop (1858-1928), which advertised 'Delftsche Slaolie' (Delft Salad Oil) for the NOF company. This lithograph, which was printed in a number of colour combinations, is one of the best-known examples of Dutch Art Nouveau. For his own home in Delft Hugo Tutein Nolthenius commissioned stained glass windows from Johan Thorn-Prikker (1868-1932), as well as portraits of himself and his sister and brother. In addition to the works of art he commissioned, Tutein Nolthenius also collected both Chinese works of art, such as the current jade horse, and paintings by Dutch artists, including Harm Kamerlingh Onnes (1893-1985), Isaac Isras (1865-1935) and some twelve paintings by Vincent van Gogh (1853-1890). Van Gogh's 1889 Self-Portrait, which is now in the National Gallery of Art in Washington, DC, was formerly in Tutein Nolthenius' collection. While he was able to follow his own well-informed tastes in his collecting, Tutein Nolthenius was also advised by Hendricus Petrus Bremmer (1871-1956) - artist, collector and one of the most important Dutch art critics of the early 20th century, some of whose classes in the Hague had been attended by Tutein Nolthenius' sister Julie. Bremmer considered the Tuten Nolthenius collection so important that in 1924-25 he gave a series of lectures based upon it.
Hugo Tutein Nolthenius was generous with his collection, and allowed items from it to go on public exhibition on a number of occasions. In 2008 an exhibition Hugo Tutein Nolthenius. Portret van een Delftsch kunstverzamelaar (Hugo Tutein Nolthenius. Portrait of a Delft art collector), was held in Delft to celebrate both the collector and his remarkable collection.